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3SrEl"W    EIDXOPIOIsr. 


POPULAR 


NATURAL  HISTORY 


Eev.  J,  G.  WOOD,  M.A, 

Author  of  "The  Illustrated  Natural  History"  and  "Tun 
Illustrated  Natural  History  of  Man." 


WITH     FIVE    HUNDRED    ILLUSTRATIONS, 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PORTER    &    COATES. 


PREFACE 


It  is  now  just  twenty-five  years  ago  when  I  was  asked  to 
write,  for  the  use  of  the  young,  a  book  on  Zoology  which  should 
be  tolerably  comprehensive,  intelligible,  and  free  from  the  con- 
ventional errors  which  had  been  handed  down  from  one  writer 
to  another.  Since  that  time  the  book  has  passed  through  many 
editions,  and  now  takes  an  entirely  new  shape,  embodying  the 
most  recent  discoveries  in  Zoology,  being  much  enlarged  in  size 
and  illustrated  with  many  additional  engravings.  If  it  should 
be  as  well  received  as  its  predecessors  I  shall  be  most  satisfied. 

J.  G.  W. 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  order  to  understand  any  science  rightly,  it  needs  that  the  student 
should  proceed  to  its  contemplation  in  an  orderly  manner,  arranging 
in  his  mind  the  various  portions  of  which  it  is  composed,  and  endeav- 
oring, as  far  as  possible,  to  follow  that  classification  which  best  accords 
with  nature.  The  result  of  any  infringement  of  this  rule  is  always  a 
confusion  of  ideas,  which  is  sure  to  lead  to  misapprehension.  So,  in 
the  study  of  living  beings,  it  is  necessary  to  adhere  to  some  determi- 
nate order,  or  the  mind  becomes  bewildered  among  the  countless  myriads 
of  living  creatures  that  fill  earth,  air,  and  water. 

As  a  general  arranges  his  army  into  its  greater  divisions,  and  each 
division  into  regiments  and  companies,  so  does  the  naturalist  separate 
the  host  of  living  beings  into  greater  and  smaller  groups.  The  present 
state  of  zoological  science  gives  five  as  the  number  of  divisions  of  which 
the  animal  kingdom  is  composed.  These  are  called  Vertebrates,  Mol- 
luscs, Articulates,  Radiates,  and  Protozoa.  Of  each  of  these  divisions 
a  slight  description  will  be  given,  and  each  will  be  considered  more  at 
length  in  its  own  place. 

1st.  The  Vertebrates  include  Man  and  all  the  Mammalia,  the 
Birds,  the  Reptiles,  and  the  Fishes. 

The  term  "Vertebrate"  is  applied  to  them  because  they  are  fur- 
nished with  a  succession  of  bones  called  "  vertebrae,"  running  along  the 
body  and  forming  a  support  and  protection  to  the  nervous  cord  that 
connects  the  body  with  the  brain  by  means  of  numerous  branches. 

2d.  The  Molluscs,  or  soft-bodied  animals,  include  the  Cuttle-fish, 
the  Snails,  Slugs,  Mussels,  etc.  Some  of  them  possess  shells,  while 
others  are  entirely  destitute  of  such  defence.  Their  nervous  system  is 
arranged  on  a  different  plan  from  that  of  the  Vertebrates.  They  have 
no  definite  brain  and  no  real  spinal  cord,  but  their  nerves  issue  from 
certain  masses  of  nervous  substance  technically  called  ganglia. 

3d.  The  Articulates,  or  jointed  animals,  form  an  enormously  large 
division,  comprising  the  Crustaceans,  such  as  the  Crabs  and  Lobsters, 
the  Insects,  Spiders,  Worms,  and  very  many  creatures  so  different  from 


b  INTRODUCTION. 

each  other  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  find  any  common  character- 
istics. 

4th.  The  next  division,  that  of  the  Radiates,  is  so  named  on  ac- 
count of  the  radiated  or  star-like  form  of  the  body,  so  well  exhibited 
in  the  Star-fishes  and  the  Sea-anemones. 

5th.  The  Protozoa,  or  primitive  animals,  are,  as  far  as  we  know, 
devoid  of  internal  organs  or  external  limbs,  and  in  many  of  them  the 
signs  of  life  are  so  feeble  that  they  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from 
vegetable  germs.  The  Sponges  and  Infusorial  Animalcules  are  famil- 
iar examples  of  this  division. 

Vertebrates. — The  term  "  Vertebrate  "  is  derived  from  the  Latin 
word  vertere,  signifying  "  to  turn ;"  and  the  various  bones  that  are  gath- 
ered round  and  defend  the  spinal  cord  are  named  vertebrae  because 
they  are  capable  of  being  moved  upon  each  other  in  order  to  permit 
the  animal  to  flex  its  body. 


MAMMALIA. 


MAMMALIA. 

The  vertebrated  animals  fall  naturally  into  four  great  classes.  These 
four  classes  are  termed  Mammals,  Birds,  Reptiles,  and  Fishes,  their 
precedence  in  order  being  determined  by  the  more  or  less  perfect  de- 
velopment of  their  structure. 


QUADRUMANA,  OR  THE  MONKEY  TRIBE. 

The  QuADRUMANOUS,  or  four-handed,  animals  are  familiarly  known 
by  the  titles  of  Apes,  Baboons,  and  Monkeys. 


,.JIi!iJliIilii!ii;;ii;:;!:'''i;rii;';';,:;lli:lii!,^^^ 


Group  of  Monkeys  in  the  Zoological  Garden,  Philadelphia. 

The  Apes  are  at  once  distinguished  from  the  other  Quadrumana  by 
the  absence  of  those  cheek-pouches  which  are  so  usefully  employed  as 
temporary  larders  by  those  monkeys  which  possess  them ;  by  the  total 
want  of  tails  and  of  those  callosities  on  the  hinder  quarters  which  are 
so  conspicuously  characteristic  of  the  baboons. 


10 


THE  GORILLA. 


The  first  in  order,  as  well  as  the  largest,  of  the  Apes,  is  the  enor- 
mous ape  from  AYestern  Africa,  the  Gorilla.  The  first  modern  writer 
who  brought  the  Gorilla  before  the  notice  of  the  public  seems  to  he 
Mr.  Bowdich,  the  well-known  African  traveller ;  for  it  is  evidently  of 
the  Gorilla  that  he  speaks  under  the  name  of  Ingheena.  The  natives 
of  the  Gaboon  and  its  vicinity  use  the  name  Gina  when  mentioning 
the  Gorilla.     The  many  tales,  too,  that  are  told  of  the  habits,  the 

gigantic  strength, 
and  the  general 
appearance  of  the 
Ingheena,  are  pre- 
cisely those  which 
are  related  of  sim- 
ilar attributes  in 
the  Gorilla. 

The  outline  of 
the  Gorilla's  face 
is  most  brutal  in 
character,  and  en- 
tirely destroys  the 
slight  resemblance 
tothe  human  coun- 
tenance which  the 
full  form  exhibits. 
As  in  the  Chim- 
pansee,  an  ape 
which  is  placed  in 
the  same  genus 
with  the  Gorilla, 
the  color  of  the 
hair  is  nearly 
black;  but  in  some 

m       r.  /mi.        ^    •»  x  liarhts,  and  during 

The  Gorilla  (Troglodytes  Gorilla).  .1     tp      p^i  • 

^      ^     ^  ^  the  life  of  the  ani- 

mal, it  assumes  a  lighter  tinge  of  grayish  brown,  on  account  of  the 
admixture  of  variously-colored  hairs.  On  the  top  of  the  head  and 
the  side  of  the  cheeks  it  assumes  a  grizzly  hue.  The  length  of  the 
hair  is  not  very  great,  considering  the  size  of  the  animal,  it  being  not 
more  than  two  or  three  inches. 

As  to  the  habits  of  the  Gorilla  many  conflicting  tales  have  been 
told,  and  many  have  been  the  consequent  controversies.  In  order  to 
settle  the  disputed  questions,  Mr.  Winwood  Keade  undertook  a  journey 
to  Western  Africa,  where  he  remained  for  a  considerable  time.  After 
careful  investigation,  he  sums  up  the  history  of  the  animal  as  follows : 


THE  GOEILLA.  11 

"  The  ordinary  cry  of  a  Gorilla  is  of  a  plaintive  character,  but  in 
rage  it  is  a  sharp,  hoarse  bark,  not  unlike  the  roar  of  the  tiger.  Owing 
to  the  negro  propensity  for  exaggeration,  I  at  first  heard  some  very  re- 
markable stories  about  the  ferocity  of  the  Gorilla,  but  when  I  ques- 
tioned the  real  hunters,  I  found  them,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  like 
most  courageous  men,  modest,  and  rather  taciturn  than  garrulous. 
Their  accounts  of  the  ape's  ferocity  scarcely  bear  out  those  afforded 
by  Drs.  Savage  and  Ford.  They  deny  that  the  Gorilla  ever  attacks 
man  without  provocation.  *  Leave  Njina  alone,'  they  say,  '  and  Njina 
leave  you  alone.'  But  when  the  Gorilla,  surprised  while  feeding  or 
asleep,  is  suddenly  brought  to  bay,  he  goes  round  in  a  kind  of  half 
circle,  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  man,  and  uttering  a  complaining, 
uneasy  cry.  If  the  hunter  shoots  at  him,  and  the  gun  misses  fire,  or 
if  the  ape  is  wounded,  he  will  sometimes  run  away ;  sometimes,  how- 
ever, he  will  charge,  with  his  fierce  look,  his  lowered  lip,  his  hair  fall- 
ing on  his  brow.  He  does  not,  however,  appear  to  be  very  agile,  for 
the  hunters  frequently  escape  from  him. 

"  His  charge  is  made  on  all-fours :  he  seizes  the  offensive  object,  and, 
dragging  it  into  his  mouth,  bites  it.  The  story  of  his  crushing  a  mus- 
ket-barrel between  his  teeth  is  general,  and  a  French  officer  told  me 
that  a  gun  was  exhibited  at  the  French  settlements  in  the  Gaboon, 
twisted  'comme  une  papillote.'  This,  however,  is  not  very  wonderful, 
for  the  cheap  Birmingham  guns,  with  barrels  made  of '  sham-dam-skelp  ' 
iron,  which  are  sold  to  the  natives,  might  easily  be  bent  and  twisted  by 
a  strong-jawed  animal.  I  heard  a  great  deal  about  men  being  killed 
by  Gorillas,  but  wherever  I  went  I  found  that  the  story  retreated  to 
tradition.  That  a  man  might  be  killed  by  a  Gorilla  I  do  not  affect  to 
doubt  for  a  moment,  but  that  a  man  has  not  been  killed  by  one  within 
the  memory  of  the  living  I  can  most  firmly  assert. 

"  I  once  saw  a  man  who  had  been  wounded  by  a  Gorilla.  It  was 
Etia,  the  Mchaga  hunter,  who  piloted  me  in  the  forests  of  Ngumbi. 
His  left  hand  was  completely  crippled,  and  the  marks  of  teeth  were 
visible  on  the  wrist.  I  asked  him  to  show  me  exactly  how  the  Gorilla 
attacked  him.  I  was  to  be  the  hunter,  he  the  Gorilla.  I  pretended  to 
shoot  at  him.  He  rushed  toward  me  on  all-fours,  and,  seizing  ray 
wrist  with  one  of  his  hands,  dragged  it  to  his  mouth,  bit  it,  and  then 
made  off.  So,  he  said,  the  Njina  had  done  to  him.  It  is  by  these  sim- 
ple tests  that  one  can  best  arrive  at  truth  among  the  negroes.  That 
which  I  can  attest  from  my  own  personal  experience  in  my  unsuccess- 
ful attempts  to  shoot  a  Gorilla  is  as  follows :  I  have  seen  the  nests  of 
the  Gorillas,  as  I  have  described  them  ;  I  cannot  say  positively  whether 
they  are  used  as  beds,  or  only  as  lying-in  couches.  I  have  repeatedly 
seen  the  tracks  of  the  Gorillas,  and  could  tell  by  the  tracks  that  the 
Gorilla  goes  habitually  on  all-fours." 


12 


THE  CHIMPANSEE. 


Closely  connected  with  the  preceding  animal  is  the  large  black  ape 
which  is  now  well  known  by  the  name  of  Chimpansee. 

This  creature  is  found  in  the  same  parts  of  Western  Africa  as  the 
Gorilla,  being  very  common  near  the  Gaboon.  It  ranges  over  a  consid- 
erable space  of  country,  inhabiting  a  belt  of  land  some  ten  or  more  de- 
grees north  and  south  of  the  torrid  zone. 

Tlie  title  niger,  or  "black,"  sufficiently  indicates  the  color  of  the 

hair  which  envel- 
ops the  body  and 
limbs  of  the  Chim- 
pansee. The  tint 
of  the  hair  is  al- 
most precisely  the 
same  as  that  of 
the  gorilla,  being 
nearly  entirely 
black,  the  excep- 
tion being  a  few 
whiter  hairs  scat- 
tered thinly  over 
the  muzzle. 

It  is  a  remark- 
able fact  that  the 
Chimpansees  are 
partly  ground- 
lings, and  are  not 
accustomed  to  ha- 
bitual residence 
among  branches 
of  trees.  Al- 
though these  apes 
do  not  avail  them- 
selves of  the  pro- 
tection which  would  be  afforded  by  a  loftier  habitation,  yet  they  are 
individually  so  strong,  and  collectively  so  formidable,  that  they  dwell 
in  security,  unharmed  even  by  the  lion,  leopard,  or  other  members  of 
the  cat  tribes,  which  are  so  dreaded  by  the  monkey  tribes  generally. 

The  food  of  these  creatures  appears  to  be  almost  entirely  of  a  vegeta- 
ble nature,  and  they  are  very  unprofitable  neighbors  to  any  one  who 
has  the  misfortune  to  raise  crops  of  rice,  or  to  plant  bananas,  plantains, 
or  papaws,  within  an  easy  journey  of  a  Chimpansee  settlement.  As  is 
the  case  with  many  of  the  monkey  tribes,  the  animal  will  eat  food  of 
a  mixed  character  when  it  is  living  in  a  domesticated  state. 

Many  specimens  have  been  brought  to  Europe,  and  some  to  Eng- 


The  Chimpansee  {Troglodytes  niger). 


THE  ORANG-OUTAN.  13 

laud  ;  but  this  insular  climate  seems  to  have  a  more  deleterious  effect 
ou  the  constitution  of  this  ape  than  even  on  that  of  the  other  Quad- 
rumana. 

As  long  as  they  resist  the  untoward  influence  of  our  climate,  the 
specimens  which  we  have  known  have  always  been  extremely  gentle 
and  docile.  Taught  by  the  instinctive  dread  of  cold,  they  soon  ap- 
preciate the  value  of  clothing,  and  learn  to  wrap  themselves  up  in 
mats,  rugs,  or  blankets  with  perfect  gravity  and  decorum.  Dress  ex- 
ercises its  fascinations  even  over  the  ape,  for  one  of  these  animals  has 
been  known  to  take  such  delight  in  a  new  and  handsome  costume  that 
he  repudiated  the  previous  dress,  and,  in  order  to  guard  against  the 
possibility  of  reverting  to  the  cast-off  garment,  tore  it  to  shreds. 

The  head  of  the  Chimpansee  is  remarkable  for  the  large  development 
of  the  ears,  which  stand  prominently  from  the  sides  of  the  head  and 
give  a  curiously  peculiar  expression  to  the  contour  of  the  head  and  face. 

THE  ORANG-OUTAN. 

The  Orang-outan  is  a  native  of  Asia,  and  only  to  be  found  upon  a 
small  portion  of  that  part  of  the  globe.  Borneo  and  Sumatra  are  the 
lands  most  favored  by  the  Orang-outau,  which  inhabits  the  woody  dis- 
tricts of  those  islands,  and  there  rules  supreme,  unless  attacked  by  man. 

There  seem  to  be  at  least  two  species  of  this  animal  that  are  found 
in  Borneo,  and  some  zoologists  consider  the  Sumatran  ape  to  be  a  third 
species. 

The  natives  distinguish  the  two  Bornean  species  by  the  names  of 
Mias-kassar  and  Mias-pappan,  the  latter  of  which  animals  is  the  Simia 
Satyrus,  so  well  represented  in  the  engraving. 

The  walk  of  the  Orang-outan  is  little  better  than  an  awkward  hob- 
ble, and  the  creature  shuffles  along  uneasily  by  help  of  its  arms.  The 
hands  are  placed  on  the  ground,  and  are  used  as  crutches  in  aid  of  the 
feet,  which  are  often  raised  entirely  from  the  ground,  and  the  body 
swung  through  the  arms.  Sometimes  it  bends  considerably  back- 
ward, and,  throwing  its  long  arms  over  its  head,  preserves  its  equilib- 
rium by  their  means. 

Among  the  trees  the  Orang-outan  is  in  its  element,  and  traverses  the 
boughs  with  an  ease  and  freedom  that  contrasts  strongly  with  its  awk- 
ward movements  whfen  on  the  ground.  It  has  a  curious  habit  of  mak- 
ing for  itself  a  temporary  resting-place  by  weaving  together  the  branches 
so  as  to  make  a  rude  platform  or  scaffold,  on  which  it  reposes.  The 
powerful  limbs  of  the  animal  enable  it  to  execute  this  task  in  a  very 
short  time. 

The  adult  male  animal  is  singularly  hideous  in  aspect,  owing  much  of 
its  repulsiveness  to  the  great  projection  of  the  jaws  and  the  callosities  that 

2 


14 


THE  ORANG-OUTAN. 


appear  on  the  -cheeks.  As  is  the  case  with  all  the  larger  apes,  it  be- 
comes sullen  and  ferocious  as  it  approaches  its  adult  state,  although  in 
the  earlier  years  of  its  life  it  is  docile,  quiet,  and  even  affectionate. 
Several  young  specimens  have  been  brought  to  Europe,  and  were  quite 
interesting  animals,  having  many  curious  tricks,  and  exhibiting  marks 
of  strong  affection  to  any  one  who  treated  them  kindly.  One  of  these 
animals  learned  to  take  its  meals  in  a  civilized  manner,  using  a  spoon 
or  a  cup  and  saucer  with  perfect  propriety. 

When  brought  to  a  colder  climate  than  that  of  its  native  land,  the 


The  Orang-outan  {Simia  Satyius). 

animal  covets  warmth,  and  is  fond  of  wrapping  itself  in  any  woollen 
clothes  or  blankets  that  it  can  obtain.  On  board  ship  it  has  been 
known  to  rob  the  sailors  or  passengers  of  their  bedding,  and  to  resist 
with  much  energy  any  attempt  to  recover  the  stolen  property. 

In  its  native  woods  the  Orang-outan  seems  to  be  an  unsocial  animal, 
delighting  not  in  those  noisy  conversaziones  which  rejoice  the  hearts  of 
the  gregarious  monkeys  and  deafen  the  ears  of  their  neighbors.  It  does 
not  even  unite  in  little  bands  of  eight  or  ten,  as  do  many  species,  but 
leads  a  comparatively  eremitical  existence  among  the  trees,  sitting  in 


THE  GIBBONS.  15 

dreamy  indolence  on  the  platform  which  it  weaves,  and  averse  to  mov- 
ing unless  impelled  by  hunger,  anger,  or  some  motive  equally  powerful. 
When  it  does  move,  it  passes  with  much  rapidity  from  tree  to  tree,  or 
from  one  branch  to  another,  by  means  of  its  long  limbs,  and  launches 
itself  through  a  considerable  distance,  if  the  space  between  the  branches 
be  too  great  for  its  reach  of  arm. 

The  hair  of  the  Orang-outan  is  of  a  reddish  chestnut  hue,  deepening 
here  and  there  into  brown.  The  texture  of  the  hair  is  coarse,  and  its 
length  varies  according  to  the  part  of  the  body  on  which  it  is  placed. 
Over  the  face,  back,  breast,  shoulders,  and  arms,  it  falls  in  thick  profu- 
sion, becoming  especially  long  at  the  elbow-joint,  where  the  hairs  of  the 
upper  and  fore-arm  meet.  The  face  is  partly  covered  with  a  beard, 
which  seems  to  increase  in  size  as  the  animal  grows  older.  The  hair 
of  the  face  takes  a  lighter  tinge  of  red  than  that  of  the  body,  and 
merges  the  red  or  auburn  tint  in  the  brown  on  the  inside  of  the 
limbs. 

At  a  little  distance  the  face  appears  to  be  black,  but  if  examined 
closely  is  found  to  present  a  bluish  tint. 

THE   GIBBONS. 

The  Gibbons  possess,  although  in  a  small  degree,  those  singular  cal- 
losities on  the  hinder  quarters  which  are  so  conspicuous  in  the  baboon 
family,  and  assume  such  strange  tints.  The  Gorilla,  Chimpansee,  and 
the  Orangs  are  entirely  destitute  of  these  peculiarities,  but  the  Gibbons 
are  found  to  possess  them,  although  the  callosities  are  very  small,  and 
hidden  by  the  fur  from  a  casual  view. 

As  in  the  great  apes,  the  arms  of  the  Gibbons  are  of  enormous  length 
and  endowed  with  exceeding  power  of  muscle,  though  the  strength  which 
resides  in  these  largely-developed  limbs  is  of  a  different  character. 

All  the  Gibbons  are  gifted  with  voices  as  powerful  as  their  limbs,  and 
the  creatures  seem  to  lose  few  opportunities  of  exercising  lungs  or  limbs. 
The  cry  which  these  animals  utter  is  a  singular  one,  loud  and  piercing, 
and  has  been  represented  by  the  syllables  "  wou-wou,"  which  duplex 
combination  of  intonations  is  often  used  as  a  general  name  common  to 
the  whole  family.  Some  writers  express  the  sound  by  the  words  "  oa- 
oa,"  and  others  by  "  woo-woo,"  between  which  the  reader  is  left  to  choose. 

Of  the  habits  of  the  Gibbons  in  a  wild  state  very  little  is  known,  as 
they  are  shy  in  their  nature,  and  by  means  of  their  wonderful  agility 
escape  among  the  trees  in  a  manner  that  baffles  pursuit  or  observation. 
As  to  the  species  which  is  represented  in  the  accompanying  engraving, 
it  seems  to  be  the  most  active  of  this  agile  family,  and  well  deserves  the 
name  that  has  been  given  to  it.  Rather  more  has  been  noticed  of  this 
wonderful  creature,  and  a  further  insight  into  its  habits  has  been  gained, 


16 


THE  AGILE  GIBBON. 


by  means  of  a  female  specimen,  which  was  captured  and  brought  safely 
to  London,  where  it  lived  for  some  time. 

In  their  native  woods  these  animals  are  most  interesting  to  the  ob- 
server, if  he  is  only  fortunate  enough  to  get  near  them  without  being 
seen  by  the  vigilant  creatures.  A  good  telescope  affords  an  excellent 
mode  of  watching  the  customs  of  animals  that  are  too  timid  to  permit 
a  human  being  to  come  near  their  haunts. 

When  startled,  the  Agile  Gibbon  flits  at  once  to  the  top  of  the  tree, 


Agile  Gibbon  [Hylohates  agilis). 


and  then,  seizing  the  branch  that  seems  best  adapted  to  its  purpose,  \ 
swings  itself  once  or  twice  to  gain  an  impetus,  and  launches  itself  through 
the  air  like  a  stone  from  a  sling,  gaining  its  force  very  much  on  the  same 
principle.  Seizing  another  branch,  toward  which  it  had  aimed  itself,  and 
which  it  reaches  with  unerring  certainty,  the  creature  repeats  the  pro- 
cess, and  flings  itself  with  ease  through  distances  of  thirty  or  forty  feet, 
flying  along  as  if  by  magic.  Those  who  have  seen  it  urging  its  flight 
over  the  trees  have  compared  its  actions  and  appearance  to  those  of  a 


THE  SIMPAL  17 

bird.  Indeed,  these  creatures  seem  to  pass  a  life  that  is  more  aerial 
than  that  of  many  birds,  putting  out  of  question  the  heavy  earth-walk- 
ing birds  which  have  not  the  power  of  raising  themselves  from  the 
ground  even  if  they  had  the  will. 

The  color  of  this  species  is  extremely  variable,  and  the  offspring  is 
not  necessarily  of  the  same  color  as  the  parent.  This  difference  of  tint 
is  not  solely  caused  by  age,  for  it  frequently  happens  that  a  cream-col- 
ored mother  has  a  dark  infant,  and  vice  versa.  Of  the  specimens  in  the 
British  Museum,  hardly  any  two  are  alike  in  the  tint  of  their  soft  woolly- 
fur.  Some  are  nearly  black,  some  are  brown,  and  some  are  of  a  light 
cream-color. 

A  very  different  group  of  animals  now  comes  before  us,  separated 
even  by  the  outer  form  from  the  apes. 

The  chief  distinction  which  strikes  the  eye  is  the  presence  of  a  tail, 
which  is  of  some  length,  and  in  several  species,  among  which  we  may 
mention  the  Simpai  itself,  is  extremely  long  and  slender  in  proportion 
to  the  body.  The  arms  of  these  animals  are  not  of  that  inordinate 
length  which  is  seen  in  the  limbs  of  the  apes,  but  are  delicate  and  well 
proportioned.  The  hinder  paws,  or  hands,  are  extremely  slender,  their 
thumbs  being  short,  and  are  twice  the  length  of  the  fore-paws. 

Some  of  these  monkeys  are  furnished  with  small  cheek-pouches, 
while  others  appear  to  be  destitute  of  these  natural  pockets.  The  cal- 
losities of  the  hinder  quarters  are  well  shown. 

In  this  group  of  the  Quadruraana,  the  characteristics  of  the  apes 
disappear,  and  the  animals  betray  more  clearly  their  quadrupedal  na- 
ture. Very  seldom  do  they  assume  the  erect  attitiTde,  preferring  to  run 
on  all-fours  like  a  dog,  that  being  their  legitimate  mode  of  progression. 
Even  when  they  do  stand  on  their  hind  feet,  the  long  tail  at  once  de- 
prives them  of  that  grotesque  semblance  of  the  human  form,  which  is 
so  painfully  exhibited  in  the  tailless  apes.  Besides  these  external  dis- 
tinctions, there  are  many  remarkable  peculiarities  in  the  anatomy  of 
the  internal  organs,  which  also  serve  to  settle  the  position  of  the  ani- 
mal in  the  order  of  nature.  Among  these  internal  organs,  the  stomach 
displays  the  most  remarkable  construction,  being  very  large,  and  di- 
vided into  compartments  that  bear  some  resemblance  to  those  in  the 
stomach  of  ruminating  animals. 

These  monkeys  are  distributed  through  several  parts  of  the  world, 
the  Simpai  making  its  residence  in  Sumatra. 

This  is  a  beautiful  little  animal,  and  is  pleasing  both  for  elegance  of 
shape  and  the  contrasting  tints  with  which  its  fur  is  decorated.  The 
prevailing  color  of  the  body  is  a  light  chestnut,  with  a  perceptible 
golden  tinge  showing  itself  when  the  light  falls  obliquely  on  the  fur. 
The  inside  of  the  limbs  and  the  abdomen  are  not  so  bright  as  the  rest 
of  the  body,  but  take  a  most  sober  tint  of  gray.  At  the  top  of  the 
2*  B 


18 


THE  HOONUMAN  AND  PROBOSCIS  MONKEY. 


head  the  hair  is  straight,  and  is  set  on  nearly  perpendicularly,  so  as  to 
form  a  narrow  crest.  The  color  of  the  crest,  together  with  that  of  a 
narrow  band  running  over  the  eyes  and  temples,  is  black.  From 
this  conspicuous  peculiarity,  the  Simpai  is  also  called  the  Black-crest- 
ed Monkey.  The  name  Presbytes  signifies  an  old 'man,  and  is  given 
to  these  monkeys  on  account  of  the  wizened,  old-fashioned  aspect  of. 
their  countenances.  The  term  "  melalophos"  is  literally  "  black- crest- 
ed," and  therefore  a  very  appropriate  name  for  this  species. 

The  length  of  this  animal,  measured  from  the  nose  to  the  root  of 
the  tail,  is  about  twenty  inches,  and  that  of  the  tail  itself  is  not  very 
far  from  three  feet.     Its  fur  is  very  soft  and  glossy. 

A  well-known  example  of  this  group  of  monkeys  is  the  Hoonuman 
or  Entellus.     This  is  a  considerably  larger  animal  than  the  Simpai, 

as  the  adult  Hoonuman 
measures  three  or  four 
feet  from  the  nose  to  the 
root  of  the  tail,  and  the 
tail  itself  rather  exceeds 
the  body  in  length.  The 
color  of  this  monkey  when 
young  is  a  grayish  brown, 
excepting  a  dark-brown 
line  along  the  back  and 
over  the  loins.  As  the 
animal  increases  in  years, 
the  fur  darkens  in  color, 
chiefly  by  means  of  black 
hairs  that  are  inserted  at 
intervals.  The  face,  hands, 
and  feet  are  black. 
It  is  a  native  of  India,  and,  fortunately  for  itself,  the  mythological 
religion  is  so  closely  connected  with  it  that  it  lives  in  perfect  security. 
Monkeys  are  never  short-sighted  in  spying  out  an  advantage,  and  the 
Entellus  monkeys  are  no  exception  to  the  rule.  Feeling  themselves 
masters  of  the  situation,  and  knowing  full  well  that  they  will  not  be 
punished  for  any  delinquency,  they  take  up  their  position  in  a  village 
with  as  much  complacency  as  if  they  had  built  it  themselves.  They 
parade  the  streets,  they  mix  on  equal  terms  with  the  inhabitants,  they 
clamber  over  the  houses,  they  frequent  the  shops,  especially  those  of 
the  pastrycooks  and  fruitsellers,  keeping  their  proprietors  constantly 
^n  the  watch. 

The  Proboscis  Monkey — or  Kahau,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  on 
account  of  its  cry  bearing  some  resemblance  to  that  word — is  an  inhab- 
itant of  Borneo,  and  probably  of  several  neighboring  countries.     It  is, 


Entellus  {Presbytes  Entellus). 


THE  KAHAU. 


19 


as  may  be  seen  by  the  engraving,  an  animal  of  very  unattractive  fea- 
tures, principally  on  account  of  its  enormously  lengthened  nose.  This 
feature  does  not  present  itself  in  perfection  until  the  Kahau  has  reached 
its  maturity. 

In  size,  the  Kahau  is  about  equal  to  the  Hoonuman,  and  seems  to  be 
an  active  animal,  leaping  from  branch  to  branch,  through  distances  of 
fifteen  feet  or  more. 


KA.HAU  {Presbytes  carvatus). 

For  the  preternatural  ugliness  of  the  countenance  the  Kahau  is  par- 
tially compensated  by  the  beautiful  coloring  of  its  fur,  which  is  thick, 
but  not  woolly,  nor  very  long.  The  principal  color  in  the  body  is  a 
bright  chestnut  red,  the  sides  of  the  face,  part  of  the  shoulders,  and 
under  part  of  the  body  being  of  a  golden  yellow.  A  rich  brown  tint 
is  spread  over  the  head  and  between  the  shoulders,  the  arms  and  legs 
taking  a  whiter  tinge  than  the  shoulders. 


20 


THE  COLOBUS  AND  THE  WHITE-NOSE   MONKEY. 


THE  COLOBUS. 


The  scientific  name  which  is  given  to  this  genus  of  monkeys  explains 
— as  is  the  proper  office  of  names— one  of  the  leading  peculiarities  of 
the  animals.  The  title  "Colobus"  is  a  Greek  word,  signifying  "stunt- 
ed," or  "  maimed,"  and  is  given  to  these  animals  because  the  thumbs 
of  the  two  fore-limbs  give  but  little  external  indication  of  their  presence, 

so  that  the  hand  con- 
sists merely  of  four 
fingers.  They  are 
exclusively  African 
animals.  They  are 
rather  handsome 
creatures,  and  their 
hair  is  sufficiently 
long  and  silky  to  be 
valuable  as  a  fur. 

The  Ursine  or 
Bearlike  Colobus 
is  so  named  because 
the  general  color  of 
its  long  black  fur, 
and  the  form  of  the 
monkey  itself,  with 
the  exception  of  the 
tail,  have  something 
of  the  bearish  aspect. 
The  cheeks  and  chin 
of  this  animal  are 
covered  with  white 
hair ;  there  is  a  white 
patch  on  the  hind- 
legs  ;  and,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few 
inches   at  its   root. 


The  True  Colobus. 


which  retain  the  black  hue  of  the  body,  the  tail  is  of  a  beautiful 
white,  terminated  with  a  long  and  full  white  tuft. 

The  little  animal,  the  White-nose  Monkey  of  Western  Africa,  is 
a  curious  little  creature,  with  an  air  of  quaint  conceit,  for  which  it  is 
indebted  to  the  fringe  of  white  hairs  that  surrounds  its  face,  and  the 
conspicuous  white  spot  on  the  nose,  which  has  earned  for  it  the  title  of 
White-nose.  As  is  so  often  the  case  in  these  animals,  the  under  side 
of  the  body  and  inside  of  the  limbs  are  of  a  much  lighter  tint  than 


THE  GRIVET. 


21 


the  upper  portions.  This  distinction  is  peculiarly  well  marked  in  the 
long  tail,  which  is  nearly  black  above,  and  beneath  takes  a  grayish 
hue. 

It  is  a  very  graceful  little  creature,  playful,  but  petulant  and  coquet- 
tish, disliking  to  be 
touched,  but  fond  of 
notice  and  nuts,  and 
often  balanced  in  cu- 
rious perplexity  be- 
tween its  coy  shyness 
and  the  charms  of  an 
offered  dainty.  When 
in  perfect  health,  it  is 
seldom  still,  but  flits 
with  light  grace  from 
one  spot  to  another, 
performing  the  most 
difficult     muscular    ef- 

1  \       ji     The  White-nose  Monkey  (Cfe»com</tecMsPetowHsto). 

ease,    and     proiouudly 

sensible  of  the  admiration  which  its  pretty  antics  never  fail  to  excite 

in  the  spectators. 

It  is  by  no  means  a  large  animal,  its  head  and  body  only  measur- 
ing fifteen  or  sixteen  inches,  the  tail  being 
little  short  of  two  feet  in  length. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  group  of  small 
monkeys  with  exceedingly  long  names. 
The  term  "Cercopithecus"  is  composed 
from  two  Greek  words,  signifying  "  tailed 
ape." 

It  is  worth  notice  that  the  word 
"  monkey  "  is  derived  from  the  name  of 
one  of  this  group,  the  Mona.  The  di- 
minutive of  Mona  is  Monikin,  the  tran- 
sition from  which  word  to  our  "  monkey  " 
is  sufficiently  evident. 

The  GmvET — or  Tota,  as  it  is  called 
by  some  writers — is  of  a  sombre  green 
color,  the  green  being  produced  by  alter- 
nate rings  of  black  and  yellow  on  each 
hair.  The  limbs  and  tail  are  of  a  grayer 
tint  than  the  rest  of  the  body,  the  yellow  portion  of  the  hair  being 
changed  to  a  dull  white.  The  inside  of  the  limbs  and  the  abdomen  are 
slightly  tinged  with  white.     In  the  male  animal  the  canine  teeth  are 


Grivet  {Cercopithecus  Engythi- 
ihia). 


22 


THE  GREEN  MONKEY  AND  THE  VERVET. 


rather  protuberant,  showing  themselves  beyond  the  lips.  The  naked 
skin  of  the  face,  ears,  and  palms  is  black,  dashed  with  that  deep  violet 
hue  that  is  found  in  so  many  of  the  monkeys.  At  each  side  of  the 
head  the  white  hairs  stand  out  boldly,  whisker  fashion,  and  give  a 
very  lively  character  to  the  head.  It  is  an  African  animal,  and  com- 
mon in  Abyssinia. 

The  Green  Monkey  is  sometimes  called  the  Callithrix,  or  Beauti- 
ful-haired Monkey,  on  account  of  the  exquisitely  delicate  marking  of 

each  separate  hair. 
The  inside  of  the 
limbs  is  nearly 
white,  as  is  the 
under  surface  of 
the  body,  and  the 
outer  side  of  the 
limbs  takes  a  gray- . 
ish  tinge.  The 
hairy  fringe  that 
grows  over  the  side 
of  the  face  is  of 
a  delicate  golden 
yellow. 

This  monkey  is 
a  native  of  Sene- 
gal and  the  neigh- 
boring parts,  and 
is  frequently 
brought  to  this 
country. 

The  Vervet  is 
the  last  of  this 
group  to  be  no- 
ticed. This  is  rath- 
er a  variable  an- 


Green  Monkey  {Cercopithecus  sabceus). 


imal  in  point  of  color,  some  specimens  being  decidedly  pale,  while  others 
assume  a  blackish  hue.  In  general,  the  color  of  the  animal  is  as  follows. 
The  prevailing  tint  of  the  fur  is  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  Grivet,  to 
which  animal  the  Vervet  bears  a  strong  resemblance.  The  head,  the  throat, 
and  breast  are  of  a  light  dun,  the  paws  being  very  dark.  In  the  male 
Vervet  the  canines  are  rather  long,  and  show  their  points  beyond  the  lips. 

MACAQUES. 

The  various  species  of  monkeys  which  are  ranged  under  the  common 
title  of  Macaques  are  mostly  well-known  animals,  being  plentiful  in 


THE  MAGOT  AND  THE  WANDEROO. 


23 


The  Thibet  Macaque  {Macacm  Thibeianus). 


their  native  lands,  and  frequently  domesticated  both  in  their  own  and 
in  foreign  countries. 

The  Magot,  or 
Barbary  Ape,  is 

one  of  the  best 
known  of  the  mon- 
key tribe;  as  it  is 
tolerably  hardy, 
it  endures  the 
changeable  and 
chilly  European 
climates  better 
than  most  of  its 
race. 

As  it?  name  im- 
plies, it  is  a  na- 
tive of  Barbary, 
where  it  is  found 
in  great  numbers, 
but  has  also  been 
naturalized  upon  the  Eock  of  Gibraltar.  The  Gibraltar  Magots  are 
frequently  mentioned  in  books  of  travel,  and  display  great  ingenuity 
in  avoiding  pursuit  and  discovering  food.  They  keep  to  the  most  in- 
accessible portions  of  the  rock,  and  scamper  away  hurriedly  on  the 
slightest  alarm.  But  with  the  aid  of  a  moderately  good  telescope, 
their  movements  may  be  watched,  and  are  very  amusing. 

This  monkey  is  not  very  widely  spread,  for,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Rock  of  Gibraltar,  it  seems  to  be  confined  to  Northern  Africa. 

It  is  not  a  very  large  auimal,  as -the  full-grown  males  measure  only 
about  a  yard  in  length,  and  the  females  are  rather  smaller.  The 
general  size  of  the  Magot  is  about  that  of  an  ordinary  bull-terrier 
dog. 

The  color  of  the  fur  is  tolerably  uniform,  differing  chiefly  in  depth 
of  shade,  and  is  of  a  clear  grayish  tint. 

Its  walk  on  level  ground  is  rather  awkward,  the  animal  making  use 
of  feet  and  hands  for  that  purpose ;  but  it  climbs  with  ease  and  agil- 
ity up  trees  or  rocks,  and  in  a  domesticated  state  is  fond  of  running 
up  and  down  ropes  and  swinging  itself  about  in  its  cage. 

One  of  the  last  of  the  Macaques  which  we  shall  notice  in  this  work 
is  the  monkey  which  is  well  known  under  the  name  of  Wanderoo,  or 
OuANDEROO,  as  it  is  sometimes  written. 

This  very  singular  animal  is  a  native  of  the  East  Indies,  and  is 
found  commonly  enough  in  Ceylon.  The  heavy  mass  of  hair  that 
surmounts  the  head  and   envelops  the  entire  face  gives  it  a  rather 


24 


THE  BLACK  MACAQUE. 


dignified  aspect,  reraiDdiDg  the  observer  of  the  huge  peruke  under 
whose  learned  shade  the  great  legal  chiefs  consider  judgment.  The 
hair  on  the  top  of  the  head  is  black,  but  the  great  beard  that  rolls 
down  the  face  and  beneath  the  chin  is  of  a  gray  tint,  as  if  blanched 
by  the  burden  of  many  years.  In  some  instances  this  beard  is  almost 
entirely  white,  and  then  the  Wanderoo  looks  very  venerable  indeed. 
From  the  form  of  the  tail,  which  is  of  a  moderate  length,  and  decor- 


The  Wanderoo  {Silenus  veter), 
ated  with  a  hairy  tuft  at  its  extremity,  the  Wanderoo  is  also  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Lion-tailed  Baboon. 

The  greater  part  of  the  fur  of  this  animal  is  of  a  fine  black,  but  the 
color  assumes  a  lighter  hue  on  the  breast  and  abdomen.  The  callos- 
ities on  the  hinder  quarters  are  of  a  light  pink. 

It  is  not  a  very  large  animal,  being  rather  less  than  three  feet  from 
the  nose  to  the  tip  of  the  tail. 

In  the  absence  of  a  tail,  and  in  general  form,  the  Black  Macaque 
bears  some  resemblance  to  the  Ma  got,  but  in  color  and  arrangement 
of  hair  it  is  entirely  distinct  from  that  animal. 

The  tint  of  the  fur  is  as  deep  a  black  as  that  of  the  Budeng,  or 


THE  CHACMA. 


25 


Black  Colobus.  Both  these  monkeys  are  possessed  of  crests  which 
give  a  peculiar  character  to  the  whole  aspect.  That  of  the  Black 
Colobus,  however,  is  reverted  forward,  and  curves  to  a  poiut  over  the 
forehead,  while  that  of  the  animal  before  us  rises  from  the  head  and 
bends  backward  over  the  neck  in  a  manner  not  unlike  that  of  the 
cockatoo. 

Like  the  Magot,  the  Black  Macaque  has  been  called  an  ape  by 
some  writers,  and  a  baboon  by  others,  on  account  of  the  apology  for 
a  tail  with  which  its  hinder  quarters  are  terminated,  but  not  decor- 
ated. It  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Philippines  and  the  neighboring 
countries. 

BABOONS,  OR  DOG-HEADED  MONKEYS. 

A  well-marked  group  of  animals  now  comes  before  us,  popularly 
known  by  the  name  of  Baboons. 

One  distinguishing  characteristic  of  these  creatures  is  that  the 
nostrils  are  situated 
at  the  extremity  of 
the  muzzle,  instead 
of  lying  nearly  flat 
upon  its  base,  and 
just  under  the  eyes, 
as  in  the  apes  and 
other  quadruman- 
ous  animals.  The 
muzzle,  too,  is  pe- 
culiar in  its  form, 
being,  as  it  were, 
cut  off  abruptly, 
leaving  a  round  and 
flattened  extremity,   j- 

Of  the  Dog-head-  - 
ed  Baboons,  the  spe- 
cies which  is  most 
celebrated  for  its  feats  of  prowess  is  the  well-known  animal  called  the 
Chacma,  or  Ursine  Baboon. 

This  animal,  when  it  has  attained  its  full  age,  equals  in  size  a  large 
mastiff"  or  an  ordinary-sized  wolf;  while,  in  bodily  strength  and 
prowess,  it  is  a  match  for  any  two  dogs  that  can  be  brought  to  at- 
tack it. 

The  Chacma  is  a  most  accomplished  robber,  executing  his  burgla- 
ries openly  whenever  he  knows  that  he  will  meet  with  no  formidable 
opposition,  and  having  recourse  to  silent  craft  when  there  are  dogs  to 
watch  for  trespassers,  and  men  with  guns  to  shoot  them. 


The  Baboon  {Cynocephalus  babouin). 


26 


THE  MANDKILL. 


With  such  consummate  art  do  these  animals  plan,  and  with  such 
admirable  skill  do  they  carry  out  their  raids,  that  even  the  watchful 
band    of  dogs   is   comparatively  useless;    and   the   cunning   robbers 


The  Chacma  {Cynocephalus  porcmnus). 

actually  slip  past  the  vigilant  sentries  without  the  stirring  of  a  grass 
blade  or  the  rustling  of  a  dried  twig,  to  give  notice  to  the  open  ears 
of  the  wakeful  but  beguiled  sentries. 

Few  animals  present  a  more  grotesque  mixture  of  fiintastic  embellish- 
ments and  repulsive  ferocity  than  the  baboon  which  is  known  under 
the  name  of  Mandrill. 

The  colors  of  the  rainbow  are  emblazoned  on  the  creature's  form, 
but  always  in  the  very  spots  where  one  would  least  expect  to  see  them. 
A  bright  azure  glows,  not  in  its  "  eyes  of  heavenly  blue,"  but  on  each 
side  of  its  nose,  where  the  snout  is  widely  expanded,  and  swollen  into 
two  enormous  masses.  The  surfaces  of  these  curious  and  very  unpre- 
possessing projections  are  deeply  grooved,  and  the  ridges  are  bedizened 
with  the  cerulean  tint  above  mentioned.  Lines  of  brilliant  scarlet 
and  deep  purple  alternate  with  the  blue,  and  the  extremity  of  the 
muzzle  blazes  with  a  fiery  red  like  Bardolph's  nose. 

That  all  things  should  be  equally  balanced,  the  opposite  end  of  the 


THE  MANDRILL. 


27 


body  is  also  radiant  with  chromatic  effect,  being  plenteously  charged 
with  a  ruddy  violet,  that  is  permitted  to  give  its  full  effect  by  the  pert, 
upright  carriage  of  the  tail. 

The  general  color  of  the  fur  is  of  an  olive-brown  tint,  fading  into 
gray  on  the  under  side  of  the  limbs,  and  the  chin  is  decorated  with  a 
small  yellow  pointed  beard.  The  muzzle  is  remarkable  for  a  kind  of 
rim  or  border,  which  is  not  unlike  the  corresponding  part  in  a  hog. 
The  ears  are  small,  devoid  of  fur,  and  of  a  black  color  with  a  tinge 
of  blue. 

Only  the  male  Mandrill  possesses  these  strange  adornments  in  their 


The  Mandrill  {Cynocephalus  Mormon). 

full  beauty  of  size  and  color,  the  females  being  gifted  only  with  the 
blue  tint  upon  the  muzzle,  and  even  that  is  of  a  much  less  brilliant 
hue  than  in  the  male. 

In  this  country  the  Mandrill  is  seldom  seen  to  equal  a  tolerably 
large  terrier  in  size,  but  in  its  native  land  a  full-grown  male  measures 


28  THE  PAPION. 

more  than  five  feet  when  standing  upright,  a  stature  which  equals,  if 
not  exceeds,  that  of  the  Chacma. 

In  its  native  land  the  usual  food  of  the  Mandrill  is  of  a  vegetable 
nature,  although,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  Baboons,  it  displays 
a  great  liking  for  ants,  centipedes,  and  similar  creatures. 

The  tail  of  this  animal  is  a  remarkable  feature,  if  it  may  be  so  termed, 
in  the  general  aspect  of  the  baboon.  It  is  short,  set  high  on  the  back, 
and  curved  upward  in  a  manner  that  is  most  singular,  not  to  say  ludi- 
crous, in  the  living  animals,  and  conspicuously  noticeable  in  the  skeleton. 

It  is  a  very  common  animal  in  its  own  country,  but,  on  account  of  its 
great  strength,  cunning,  and  ferocity,  it  is  not  so  often  captured  as  might 
be  expected.  Even  when  a  specimen  is  made  prisoner,  it  is  generally  a 
very  young  one,  which  soon  loses  in  captivity  the  individuality  of  its 
being,  and  learns  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  altered  circumstances 
among  which  it  is  placed. 

Another  well-known  species  of  the  Dog-headed  Baboons  is  the 
Papion,  an  animal  of  rather  more  refined  aspect  than  the  Chacma, 
or,  more  properly  speaking,  not  quite  so  brutal. 

The  face,  although  unattractive  enough,  is  yet  not  so  repulsive  as  that 
of  the  Chacma,  and  the  colors  are  rather  more  bright  than  those  of  that 
animal. 

Great  reverence  was  paid  to  these  creatures,  and  specially  to  certain 
selected  individuals,  which  were  furnished  with  a  safe  home  in  or  near 
the  temples,  liberally  fed  while  living,  and  honorably  embalmed  when 
dead.  Many  mummied  forms  of  these  baboons  have  been  found  in  the 
temple-caves  of  Egypt,  swathed,  and  spiced,  and  adorned,  just  as  if  they 
had  been  human  beings. 

Some  authors  say  that  the  Thoth  Baboon  was  an  object  of  worship 
among  the  Egyptians,  but  hardly  with  sufficient  reason.  Various  ani- 
mal forms  were  used  as  visible  living  emblems  of  the  attributes  of  deity 
and  the  qualities  of  the  human  intellect,  but  were  no  more  objects  of 
idolatrous  worship  than  the  lion  of  England  or  the  eagle  of  America. 

The  fur  of  the  Papion  is  of  a  chestnut  color,  in  some  parts  fading 
into  a  sober  fawn,  and  in  others  warmed  with  a  wash  of  ruddy  bay. 
The  paws  are  darker  than  the  rest  of  the  body.  When  young  it  is  of 
a  lighter  hue,  and  deepens  in  color  until  it  reaches  its  full  age.  In  the 
prime  of  existence  its  colors  are  the  lightest,  but  as  years  begin  to  lay 
their  burden  on  the  animal,  the  hairs  begin  to  be  flecked  with  a  slight 
grizzle,  and,  in  process  of  time,  the  snows  of  age  descend  liberally,  and 
whiten  the  whole  fur  with  hoary  hairs. 

AMERICAN   MONKEYS. 

We  have  now  taken  a  rapid  survey  of  the  varied  forms  which  the 
Quadrumaua  of  the  Old  World  assume — forms  so  diversified  that  there 


THE   COAITA. 


29 


hardly  seems  to  be  scope  for  further  modifications.  Yet  the  prolific 
power  of  nature  is  so  inexhaustible  that  the  depth  of  our  researches 
only  brings  to  view  objects  of  such  infinite  variety  of  shape  that  the 
mind  is  lost  in  wonder  and  admiration.  We  will  now  take  some  of 
the  Quadrumana  of  the  New  World. 

The  CoAiTA — or  Quata,  as  the  word  is  frequently  written — is  one  of 
the  best  known  of  this  group  of  animals,  which  are  called  by  the  name 
of  Spider  Monkeys  on  account  of  their  long  sprawling  limbs,  and 
their  peculiar  action  while  walking. 

The  name  "  Ateles,"  which  is  given  to  the  entire  genus  to  which  this 


The  Black-handed  Spider  Monkey  (Aides  melanochir 


animal  belongs,  signifies  "  imperfect,"  and  has  been  applied  to  the  crea- 
tures because  the  fore-paws  are  devoid  of  useful  thumbs.     Sometimes 
that  member  is  almost  entirely  absent,  and  in  other  instances  it  only 
just  shows  itself. 
The  Spider  Monkeys  are  also  remarkable  for  the  long  and  prehensile 

3  * 


30  THE  MAEIMONDA. 

tail.  With  such  singularly  delicate  seuse  of  touch  is  it  furnished  that 
it  almost  seems  to  be  possessed  of  the  power  of  sight,  and  moves  about 
among  the  branches  with  as  much  decision  as  if  there  were  an  eye  in  its 
tip.  Should  the  monkey  discover  some  prize,  such  as  a  nest  of  eggs,  or 
any  little  dainty,  which  lies  in  a  crevice  too  small  for  the  hand  to  enter, 
it  is  in  nowise  disconcerted,  but  inserts  the  end  of  its  tail  into  the  cranny, 
and  hooks  out  the  desired  object. 

There  is  a  beautiful  formation  of  the  tail  of  this  creature,  by  means 
of  which  the  grasp  of  that  member  retains  its  hold  even  after  the  death 
of  the  owner.  If  a  Spider  Monkey  be  mortally  wounded  and  not  killed 
outright,  it  curls  its  tail  round  a  branch,  and  thus  suspended  yields  up 
its  life.  The  tail  does  not  lose  its  grasp  when  the  life  has  departed ; 
and  the  dead  monkey  hangs  with  its  head  downward  until  decomposi- 
tion sets  in  and  the  rigid  muscles  are  relaxed. 

The  Coaita  is  by  no  means  a  large  animal,  measuring  very  little  more 
than  a  foot  from  the  nose  to  the  root  of  the  tail,  while  the  tail  itself  is 
two  feet  in  length.  Its  color  is  very  dark  and  glossy — so  dark,  indeed, 
as  to  be  almost  black.  The  hair  varies  much  in  length  and  density. 
On  the  back  and  the  outside  of  the  limbs  it  hangs  in  long  drooping 
locks,  forming  a  thick  covering  through  which  the  skin  cannot  be  seen. 
But  on  the  abdomen  the  hair  is  quite  scanty,  and  is  so  thinly  scattered 
that  the  skin  is  plainly  visible.  The  skin  of  the  face  is  of  a  dark  cop- 
per color. 

Another  example  of  this  wonderful  group  of  monkeys  is  found  in  the 
IVIarimonda,  an  inhabitant,  like  the  last-named  animal,  of  Central 
America,  and  found  in  greatest  numbers  in  Spanish  Guiana,  where, 
according  to  Humboldt,  it  fills  the  place  of  the  Coaita. 

The  general  shape,  the  formation  of  its  limbs,  and  the  long  prehen- 
sile tail,  point  it  out  at  once  as  another  of  the  Spider  Monkeys.  This 
is  certainly  a  very  appropriate  name  for  these  animals.  Their  heads 
are  so  small,  their  bodies  so  short,  their  limbs  so  slender,  and  their  tails 
so  limb-like,  that  the  mind  unconsciously  draws  a  parallel  between  these 
monkeys  and  the  long-legged  spiders  that  scuttle  so  awkwardly  over 
the  ground,  and  are  so  indifferent  respecting  their  complement  of 
legs. 

The  resemblance  holds  good  even  when  the  monkey  is  at  rest,  or 
when  it  only  appears  before  the  eye  in  an  illustration.  But  when  the 
creature  begins  to  walk  on  level  ground,  and  especially  if  it  be  hur- 
ried, its  clumsy  movements  are  so  very  spider-like  that  the  similitude 
is  ten  times  more  striking.  Be  it  remarked  that  both  creatures  are 
supposed  to  be  placed  in  uncongenial  circumstances.  The  spider  is 
deft  and  active  enough  among  the  many  threads  of  its  air-suspended 
nets,  as  is  the  monkey  among  the  slight  twigs  of  the  air-bathed  branches. 
But  when   both  animals  are  subjected  to  circumstances  which  are  di- 


THE  SPIDER  MONKEY. 


31 


rectly  opposed  to  their  natural  mode  of  existence,  they  become  alike 
awkward,  and  alike  afford  subjects  of  mirth. 

The  mode  by  which  Spider  Monkeys  walk  on  level  ground  is  rather 
singular  and  difficult  to  describe,  being  different  from  that  which  is 
employed  by  the  large  apes.  They  do  not  set  the  sole  of  either  paw, 
or  hand,  flat  upon  the  ground,  but,  turning  the   hinder  feet  inward, 


^i^i^i  .'^ 


<:»» 


Group  of  Spider  Monkeys. 


they  walk  upon  their  outer  sides.  The  reverse  process  takes  place 
with  the  fore-paws,  which  are  twisted  outward,  so  that  the  weight  of 
the  animal  is  thrown  upon  their  inner  edges. 

It  will  easily  be  seen  how  very  awkward  an  animal  must  be  which 
is  forced  to  employ  so  complicated  a  means  for  the  purpose  of  locomo- 


32 


THE  SPIDER  MONKEY. 


tion.  Although  the  Spider  Monkey  has  been  known  to  walk  in  a 
manner  much  more  steady  than  that  of  any  other  monkey,  yet  this 
bipedal  progression  was  only  employed  for  a  few  paces,  and  with  a  ha- 
ven of  rest  in  view  in  the  shape  of  a  window-sill,  on  which  the  creature 
could  rest  its  hands.  The  tail  is  also  curled  over  the  head,  like  the 
letter  S,  by  way  of  a  balance. 

In  captivity,  the  Marimonda  is  a  gentle  and  affectionate  animal,  at- 
taching itself  strongly  to  those  persons  to  whom  it  takes  a  fancy,  and 
playing  many  fantastic  gambols  to  attract  their  attention.  Its  angry 
feelings,  although  perhaps  easily  roused,  do  not  partake  of  the  petulant 
malignity  which  so  often  characterizes  the  monkey  race,  and  are  quite 


The  Ursine  Howler  {Mycetes  ursinus). 

free  from  the  rancorous  vengeance  which  is  found  in  the  baboons. 
Very  seldom  does  it  attempt  to  bite,  and  even  when  such  an  event 
does  take  place,  it  is  rather  the  effect  of  sudden  terror  than  of  delib- 
erate malice. 

On  account  of  its  amiable  nature  it  is  often  brought  into  a  domesti- 
cated state,  and,  if  we  may  give  credence  to  many  a  traveller,  is 


THE  UKSINE  HOWLER.  33 

trained  to  become  not  only  an  amusing  companion,  but  a  useful  ser- 
vant. 

The  color  of  this  animal  varies  much,  according  to  the  age  of  the 
individual. 

When  adult,  the  leading  color  is  of  a  uniform  dull  black,  devoid  of 
the  glossy  lustre  which  throws  back  the  sunbeams  from  the  coaita's 
furry  mantle.  On  the  back,  the  top  of  the  head,  and  along  the  spine, 
the  hair  is  of  a  dense,  dead  black,  which  seems  to  have  earned  for  the 
animal  the  very  inapposite  name  with  which  its  nomeuclators  have 
thought  fit  to  dedecorate  the  mild  and  amiable  Marimonda. 

The  throat,  breast,  insids  of  the  limbs,  and  the  under  side  of  the  tail 
are  much  lighter  in  tint,  while  in  some  individuals  a  large,  bright  chest- 
nut patch  covers  the  latter  half  of  the  sides. 

It  seems  to  be  of  rather  a  listless  character,  delighting  to  bask  in  the 
sun's  rays,  and  lying  in  the  strangest  attitudes  for  hours  without  mov- 
ing. One  of  the  postures  which  is  most  in  vogue  is  achieved  by  throw- 
ing the  head  back  with  the  eyes  turned  up,  and  then  flinging  the  arms 
over  the  head. 

The  animal  shown  on  page  32  is  an  example  of  the  celebrated 
group  of  Howling  Monkeys— or  Alouattes,  as  they  are  termed  by 
some  naturalists,  whose  strange  customs  have  been  so  often  noticed  by 
travellers,  and  whose  reverberating  cries  rend  their  ears.  Little  chance 
is  there  that  the  Howling  Monkeys  will  ever  fade  from  the  memory  of 
any  one  who  has  once  suffered  an  unwilling  martyrdom  from  their 
mournful  yells. 

Several  species  of  Howling  Monkeys  are  known  to  science,  of  which 
the  Araguato,  as  it  is  called  in  its  own  land,  or  the  Ursine  Howler, 
as  it  is  popularly  named  in  this  country,  is,  perhaps,  the  commonest 
and  most  conspicuous.  It  is  larger  than  any  of  the  New  World  mon- 
keys which  have  hitherto  been  noticed,  its  length  being  very  nearly 
three  feet  when  it  is  fully  grown,  and  the  tail  reaching  to  even  a  great- 
er length. 

The  color  of  the  fur  is  a  rich  reddish  brown,  or  rather  bay,  enlivened 
by  a  golden  lustre  when  a  brighter  ray  of  light  than  usual  plays  over 
its  surface.  The  beard  which  so  thickly  decorates  the  chin,  throat,  and 
neck  is  of  a  deeper  color  than  the  hair  of  the  body. 

Few  animals  deserve  the  name  which  they  bear  so  well  as  the  Howl- 
ing Monkeys.  Their  horrid  yells  are  so  loud  that  they  can  be  heard 
plainly  although  the  animals  which  produce  them  are  more  than  a  mile 
distant ;  and  the  sounds  that  issue  from  their  curiously-formed  throats 
are  strangely  simulative  of  the  most  discordant  outcries  of  various  other 
animals,  the  jaguar  being  one  of  the  most  favorite  subjects  for  imitation. 
Throughout  the  entire  night  their  dismal  ululations  resound,  persecut- 
ing the  ears  of  the  involuntarily  wakeful  traveller  with  their  oppress- 


34 


THE  CAPUCIN  MONKEYS. 


ive  pertinacity,  and  driving  far  from  his  wearied  senses  the  slumber 
which  he  courts,  but  courts  in  vain. 

In  order  that  an  animal  of  so  limited  a  size  should  be  enabled  to 
produce  sounds  of  such  intensity  and  volume,  a  peculiar  structure  of 
the  vocal  organs  is  necessary. 

The  instrument  by  means  of  which  the  Howlers  make  night  dismal 
with  their  funestral  wailings  is  found  to  be  the  "  hyoid  bone,"  a  portion 
of  the  form  which  is  very  slightly  developed  in  man,  but  very  largely 
in  these  monkeys.  In  man  the  bone  in  question  gives  support  to  the 
tongue  and  is  attached  to  numerous  muscles  of  the  neck.  In  the  Howl- 
ing Monkeys  it  takes  a  wider  range  of  duty,  and,  by  a  curious  modifica- 
tion of  structure,  forms  a  bony  drum,  which  communicates  with  the 
windpipe  and  gives  to  the  voice  that  powerful  resonance  which  has 
made  the  Alouattes  famous. 

The  Caplcin  Monkeys,  an  example  of  which  is  here  given,  are 
active  little   animals,  lively  and  playful.     In  habits,  all  the  species 

seem  to  be  very 
similar,  so  that 
the  description  of 
one  will  serve 
equally  for  any 
other.  In  conse- 
quence of  their 
youth  and  sport- 
ive manners  they 
are  frequently 
kept  in  a  domes- 
ticated state,  both 
by  the  native  In- 
dians and  by  Eu- 
ropean settlers. 
Like  several  oth- 
er small  monkeys, 
theCapucin  oi'ten 
strikes  up  a 
friendship  for  oth- 
er animals  that 
may    happen    to 

live  in  or  near  its  home,  the  cat  being  one  of  the  most  favored  of 
its  allies.  Sometimes  it  carries  its  familiarity  so  far  as  to  turn 
the  cat  into  a  steed  for  the  nonce,  and,  seated  upon  her  back,  to 
perambulate  the  premises.  More  unpromising  subjects  for  equestrian 
exercise  have  been  pressed  into  the  service  by  the  Capucin.  Humboldt 
mentions  one  of  these  creatures  which  was  accustomed  to  catch  a  pig 


The  Capucin  {Cebus  leucogenys). 


THE  BLACK  YARKE  AND  THE  DOUROUCOULI.  35 

every  morning,  and,  mounting  upon  its  back,  to  retain  its  seat  during 
the  day.  Even  while  the  pig  was  feeding  in  the  savannas  its  rider  re- 
mained firm,  and  bestrode  its  victim  with  as  much  pertinacity  as  did 
Sinbad's  old  man  of  the  sea. 

There  is  some  difficulty  in  settling  the  species  of  the  Capucins,  for 
their  fur  is  rather  variable  in  tint,  in  some  cases  differing  so  greatly  as 
to  make  them  look  like  another  species.  The  general  tint  of  the  Capu- 
cin  is  a  golden  olive,  a  whiter  fur  bordering  the  face  in  some  individuals, 
though  not  in  all. 

There  are  several  monkeys  known  by  the  name  of  Sakis,  among  which 
are  reckoned  the  Cuxio,  a  rather  odd  little  animal,  and  two  other  species, 
which  are  easily  distinguished  from  each  other  by  the  color  of  their 
heads.  The  first  of  these  animals  is  the  Black  Yarke,  or  White- 
headed  Saki,  and  the  other  the  Cicajao,  or  Black-headed  Sakl 

The  former  of  these  Sakis  is  a  rather  elegant  creature  in  form,  and 
of  colors  more  varied  than  those  of  the  Cuxio.  The  head  is  surrounded 
with  a  thick  and  closely-set  fringe  of  white  hair,  which  is  rather  short 
in  the  male,  but  long  and  drooping  in  the  female.  The  top  of  the  head 
is  of  a  deep  black,  and  the  remainder  of  the  body  and  the  tail  are  covered 
with  very  long  and  rather  coarse  hair  of  a  blackish  brown.  Under  the 
chin  and  throat  the  hairs  are  almost  entirely  absent,  and  the  skin  is  of 
an  orange  hue. 

Besides  the  difference  of  length  in  the  facial  hairs  of  the  female 
Yarke,  there  are  several  distinctions  between  the  sexes,  which  are  so 
decided  as  to  have  caused  many  naturalists  to  consider  the  male  and 
female  to  belong  to  different  species.  The  hair  of  the  female  Yarke 
is  decorated  near  the  tip  with  several  rings  of  a  rusty  brow^n  color, 
while  the  hair  of  the  male  is  entirely  devoid  of  these  marks. 

The  natural  food  of  these  animals  is  said  to  consist  chiefly  of  wild 
bees  and  their  honeycombs.  Perhaps  the  long  furry  hair  with  which 
the  Sakis  are  covered  may  be  useful  for  the  purpose  of  defending  them 
from  the  stings  of  the  angry  insects.  On  account  of  the  full  and  bushy 
tail  with  which  the  members  of  this  group  are  furnished,  they  are  pop- 
ularly classed  together  under  the  title  of  Fox-tailed  Monkeys. 

The  term  "  Nyctipithecus,"  or  Night-monkey,  which  is  used  as  the 
generic  title  of  the  Douroucouli,  refers  to  its  habits,  which  are  more 
strictly  nocturnal  than  those  of  the  animals  heretofore  mentioned.  The 
eyes  of  this  little  creature  are  so  sensitive  to  light  that  it  cannot  en- 
dure the  glare  of  day,  and  only  awakes  to  activity  and  energy  when 
the  shades  of  night  throw  their  welcome  veil  over  the  face  of  nature. 

In  its  wild  state  it  seeks  the  shelter  of  some  hollow  tree  or  other 
darkened  place  of  refuge,  and  there  abides  during  the  hours  of  day- 
light, buried  in  a  slumber  so  deep  that  it  can  with  difficulty  be 
aroused,  even  though  the  rough   hand  of  its  captor  drag  it  from  its 


36  THE  MARIKINA. 

concealment.  During  sleep  it  gathers  all  its  four  feet  closely  together, 
and  drops  its  head  between  its  fore-paws.  It  seems  to  be  one  of  the 
owls  of  the  monkey  race. 

The  food  of  this  Douroucouli  is  mostly  of  an  animal  nature,  and 
consists  chiefly  of  insects  and  small  birds,  which  it  hunts  and  captures 
in  the  night  season.  After  dark  the  Douroucouli  awakes  from  the 
torpid  lethargy  in  which  it  has  spent  the  day,  and,  shaking  off  its  drow- 
siness, becomes  filled  with  life  and  spirit.  The  large  dull  eyes,  that 
shrank  from  the  dazzling  rays  of  the  sun,  light  up  with  eager  anima- 
tion at  eventide,  the  listless  limbs  are  instinct  with  fiery  activity,  every 
sense  is  aroused  to  keen  perception,  and  the  creature  sets  oflT  on  its 
nightly  quest.  Such  is  then  its  agile  address  that  it  can  capture  even 
the  quick-sighted  and  ready-w^inged  flies  as  they  flit  by,  striking  rapid 
blows  at  them  with  its  little  paws. 

The  general  color  of  the  Douroucouli  is  a  grayish  white,  over  which 
a  silvery  lustre  plays  in  certain  lights.  The  spine  is  marked  with  a 
brown  line,  and  the  breast,  abdomen,  and  inside  of  the  limbs  are 
marked  with  a  very  light  chestnut,  almost  amounting  to  orange.  The 
face  is  remarkable  for  three  very  distinct  black  lines,  which  radiate 
from  each  other,  and  which  have  earned  for  the  animal  the  title  of 
"  Trivergatus,"  or  "  three-striped."  There  are  but  very  slight  external 
indications  of  ears,  and  in  order  to  expose  the  organs  of  hearing,  it  is 
necessary  to  draw  aside  the  fur  of  the  head.  On  account  of  this  pecu- 
liarity, Humboldt  separated  the  Douroucouli  from  its  neighbors  and 
formed  it  into  a  distinct  family,  which  he  named  "Aotes,"  or  "  earless." 

Guiana  and  Brazil  are  the  countries  where  this  curious  little  animal 
is  found.  Although  by  no  means  an  uncommon  species,  it  is  not  taken 
very  plentifully,  on  account  of  its  monogamous  habits.  The  male  and 
its  mate  may  often  be  discovered  sleeping  snugly  together  in  one  bed, 
but  never  in  greater  numbers,  unless  there  may  be  a  little  family  at 
the  time.  Its  cry  is  singularly  loud,  considering  the  small  size  of  the 
animal  which  utters  it,  and  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  roar  of  the 
jaguar.  Besides  this  deep-toned  voice,  it  can  hiss  or  spit  like  an  angry 
cat,  mew  with  something  of  a  cat-like  intonation,  and  utter  a  guttural, 
short,  and  rapidly-repeated  bark.  The  fur  is  used  for  the  purpose  of 
covering  pouches  and  similar  articles. 

Among  the  various  members  of  the  monkey  tribe  there  is  hardly 
any  species  that  can  compare  with  the  exquisite  little  Marikina  for 
either  grace  of  form  or  soft  beauty  of  color. 

The  hair  with  which  this  creature  is  covered  is  of  a  bright  and 
lustrous  chestnut,  with  a  golden  sheen  playing  over  its  long  glossy 
locks.  To  the  touch,  the  fur  of  the  Marikina  is  peculiarly  smooth 
and  silken ;  and  from  this  circumstance  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
Silky  Monkey. 


THE  MARMOSET.  37 

Both  for  the  texture  and  color  of  the  hair,  the  name  is  happily 
chosen,  for  the  tint  of  the  Marikina's  fur  is  just  that  of  the  orange- 
colored  silk  as  it  is  wound  from  the  cocoon,  while  in  texture  it  almost 
vies  with  the  fine  fibres  of  the  unwoven  silk  itself. 

Another  name  for  the  same  animal  is  the  Lion  Monkey,  because  its 
little  face  looks  out  of  the  mass  of  hair  like  a  lion  from  out  of  his 
mane. 

The  color  of  the  hair  is  nearly  uniform,  but  not  quite  so.  On  the 
paws  it  darkens  considerably,  and  it  is  of  a  deeper  tint  on  the  forehead 
and  the  upper  surface  of  the  limbs  than  on  the  remainder  of  the  body. 
Some  specimens  are  wholly  of  a  darker  hue.  In  no  place  is  the  fur 
very  short ;  but  on  the  head,  and  about  the  shoulders,  it  is  of  very 
great  length  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  animal. 

The  Marikina  is  rightly  careful  of  its  beautiful  clothing,  and  is 
fastidious  to  a  degree  about  preserving  its  glossy  brightness  free  from 
stain.  Whether  when  wild  it  keeps  its  own  house  clean,  or  whether 
it  has  no  house  at  all,  is  not  as  yet  accurately  ascertained,  but  in 
captivity  it  requires  that  all  cleansing  shall  be  performed  by  other 
hands.  This  slothi'ulness  is  the  more  peculiar,  because  the  creature  is 
so  sensitive  on  the  subject  that  if  it  be  in  the  least  neglected,  it  loses 
its  pretty  gayety,  pines  away,  and  dies. 

It  is  fond  of  company,  and  can  seldom  be  kept  alone  for  any  length 
of  time.  The  food  of  the  Marikina 
is  chiefly  composed  of  fruits  and  in- 
sects ;  but  in  captivity  it  will  eat 
biscuit  and  drink  milk.  It  is  a 
very  timid  animal,  unable  to  fight 
a  foe,  but  quick  in  escape  and  adroit 
in  concealment.  Its  voice  is  soft 
and  gentle  when  *the  animal  is 
pleased,  but  when  it  is  excited  by 
anger  or  fear,  it  utters  a  rather 
sharp  hiss.  The  dimensions  of  the  (^\ 
Marikina  are  much  the  same  as 
those  of  the  following  animal. 

The    beautiful     little     creature  .  ^     , 

1  •  1   •  n  1  u    i.1  The  Marmoset  (Jacchusvulcans). 

which  IS  so  well  known  by  the  name  "^  ^      ' 

of  the  Marmoset,  or  Ouistiti,  is  a  native  of  Guiana.    The  fur  is  long 

and   exquisitely  soft,  diversified  with   bold   stripes  of  black   upon  a 

ground  of  white  and  reddish  yellow.     The  tail  is  long  and  full ;  its 

color  is  w^hite,  encircled  with  numerous  rings  of  a  hue  so  deep  that  it 

may  almost  be  called  black.     A  radiating  tuft  of  white  hairs  springs 

from  each  side  of  the  face,  and  contrasts  well  with  the  jetty  hue  of 

the  head. 

4 


38 


THE  MAEMOSET. 


On  account  of  the  beauty  of  its  fur,  and  the  gentleness  of  its 
demeanor  when  rightly  treated,  it  is  frequently  brought  from  its 
native  land  and  forced  to  lead  a  life  of  compelled  civilization  in 
foreign  climes.  It  is  peculiarly  sensitive  to  cold,  and  always  likes  to 
have  its  house  well  furnished  with  soft  and  warm  bedding,  which  it 
piles  up  in  a  corner,  and  under  which  it  delights  to  hide  itself. 

The  Marmosets  do  not  seem  to  be  possessed  of  a  very  large  share  of 
intelligence,  but  yet  are  very  engaging  little  creatures  if  kindly  treated. 
They  are  very  fond  of  flies  and  other  insects,  and  will  often  take  a  fl)H 
from  the  hand  of  the  visitor.  One  of  these  animals,  with  which  I 
struck  up  an  acquaintance,  took  great  pleasure  in  making  me  catch 
flies  for  its  use,  taking  them  daintily  out  of  my  hand.  When  it  saw 
my  hand  sweep  over  a  doomed  fly,  the  bright  eyes  sparkled  with  eager 
anticipation ;    and  when   I  approached   the   cage,  the   little   creature 

thrust  its  paw  through 
the  bars  as  far  as  the 
wires  would  permit, 
and  opened  and  closed 
the  tiny  fingers  wdth 
restless  impatience.  It 
then  insinuated  its 
hand  among  my  closed 
fingers,  and  never  fail- 
ed to  find  and  capture 
the  imprisoned  fly. 

Generally,  the  Mar- 
moset preserves  silence ; 
but  if  alarmed  or  irri- 
tated, it  gives  vent  to 
a  little  sharp  whistle, 
from  which  it  has  gain- 
ed its  name  of  Ouistiti. 
It  is  sufiiciently  active 
when  in  the  enjoyment 
of  good  health,  climb- 
ing and  leaping  about 
from  bar  to  bar  with 
an  agile  quickness  that 
reminds  the  observer 
of  a  squirrel. 

Its  food  is  both  animal  and  vegetable  in  character,  the  animal 
portion  being  chiefly  composed  of  various  insects,  eggs,  and,  it  may 
be,  an  occasional  young  bird,  and  the  vegetable  diet  ranging  through 
most  of  the  edible  fruits.     A   tame  Marmoset  has   been   known   to 


The  Golden  Marmoset  [Midas  chrysoleucus). 


LEMURS. 


39 


pounce  upon  a  living  gold-fish  and  to  eat  it.  In  consequence  of  this 
achievement,  some  young  eels  were  given  to  the  animal,  and  at  first 
terrified  it  by  their  strange  writhings,  but  in  a  short  time  they  were 
mastered  and  eaten. 

The  length  of  the  full-grown  Marmoset  is  from  seven  to  eight  inches, 
exclusive  of  the  tail,  which  measures  about  a  foot. 


LEMURS. 

The  form  of  the  monkeys  known  by  the  name  of  Lemurs  is  of 
itself  sufficient  to  show  that  we  are  rapidly  approaching  the  more 
quadrupedal  mammalia. 

The  head  of  all  the  Lemurs  is  entirely  unlike  the  usual  monkey 
head,  and  even  in  the  skull  the  distinction  is  as  clearly  marked  as  in 
the  living  being.  Sharp,  long,  and  pointed,  the  muzzle  and  jaws  are 
singularly  fox-like,  while  the  general  form  of  these  animals,  and  the 


The  Lemurine  Night  Ape  [Nyctipithecus  leniunnus). 

mode  in  which  they  walk,  would  lead  a  hasty  observer  to  place  them 
among  the  true  quadrupeds.  Yet,  on  a  closer  examination,  the  quad- 
rumanous  characteristics  are  seen  so  plainly  that  the  Lemurs  can  but 


40    THE  RUFFED  LEMUR  AND  THE  SLENDER  LORIS. 

be  referred  to  their  proper  position  among,  or  rather  at  the  end  of,  the 
monkey  tribe. 

The  word  "  Lemur  "  signifies  "  a  night- wandering  ghost,"  and  has 
been  applied  to  this  group  of  animals  on  account  of  their  nocturnal 
habits,  and  their  stealthy,  noiseless  step,  which  renders  their  progress 
almost  as  inaudible  as  that  of  the  unearthly  beings  from  whom  they 
derive  their  name. 

The  Ruffed  Lemur  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  this  family,  chal- 
lenging a  rivalship  even  with  the  Ring-tailed  Lemur  in  point  of  ap- 
pearance. 

The  texture  of  the  fur  is  extremely  fine,  and  its  color  presents  bold 
contrasts  betw^een  pure  white  and  jetty  blackness.  The  face  of  the 
Ruffed  Lemur  is  black,  and  a  fringe  of  long  white  hairs  stands  out 
like  a  ruff  round  it. 

As  is  the  case  with  all  the  Lenuirs,  it  is  a  native  of  Madagascar  and 
of  the  adjacent  islands,  and  seems  to  take  the  place  of  the  ordinary 
monkeys.  Of  all  the  Lemurs  this  species  is  the  largest,  its  size  equal- 
ling that  of  a  moderately-grown  cat.  Its  voice  is  a  sepulchral,  deep 
roar,  peculiarly  loud  considering  the  size  of  the  animal,  and  can  be 
heard  at  a  great  distance  in  the  stilly  night. 

The  Slender  Loris  is  a  small  animal,  measuring  only  nine  inches 
in  length,  i^nd  possessed  of  limbs  so  delicately  slender  as  to  have  earned 
for  it  its  popular  name.  Its  color  is  gray,  with  a  slight  rusty  tinge,  the 
under  portions  of  the  body  fading  into  white.  Round  the  eyes  the  fur 
takes  a  darker  hue,  which  is  well  contrasted  by  a  white  streak  running 
along  the  nose. 

Small  though  it  be,  and  apparently  without  the  power  to  harm,  it  is 
a  terrible  enemy  to  the  birds  and  insects  on  which  it  feeds,  and  which 
it  captures,  "  like  Fabius,  by  delay." 

Night,  when  the  birds  are  resting  with  their  heads  snugly  sheltered 
by  their  soft  feathers,  is  the  time  when  the  Loris  awakes  from  its  daily 
slumbers  and  stealthily  sets  forth  on  its  search.  Its  movements  are  so 
slow  and  silent  that  not  a  sound  falls  on  the  ear  to  indicate  the  presence 
of  a  living  animal. 

Alas  for  the  doomed  bird  that  has  attracted  the  fiery  eyes  of  the 
Loris!  With  movements  as  imperceptible  and  as  silent  as  the  shadow 
on  the  dial,  paw  after  paw  is  lifted  from  its  hold,  advanced  a  step,  and 
placed  again  on  the  bough,  until  the  destroyer  stands  by  the  side  of  the 
unconscious  victim.  Then  the  hand  is  raised  with  equal  silence,  until 
the  fingers  overhang  the  bird  and  nearly  touch  it.  Suddenly  the  slow 
caution  is  exchanged  for  lightning  speed,  and  with  a  movement  so  rapid 
that  the  eye  can  hardly  follow  it  the  bird  is  torn  from  its  perch,  and 
almost  before  its  eyes  are  opened  from  slumber  they  are  closed  for  ever 
in  death. 


THE  SLOW-PACED  LORIS.  41 

The  Slow-paced  Loris,  or  Kukang,  is  very  similar  in  its  habits  to 
the  animal  just  mentioned,  but  differs  from  it  in  size,  color,  and  several 
parts  of  its  form. 

The  fur  is  of  a  texture  rather  more  woolly  than  that  of  the  Slender 
Loris,  and  its  color  has  something  of  a  chestnut  tinge  running  through 
it,  although  some  specimens  are  nearly  as  gray  as  the  Slender  Loris. 
A  dark  stripe  surrounds  the  eyes,  ears,  and  back  of  the  head,  reaching 
to  the  corners  of  the  mouth.  From  thence  it  runs  along  the  entire 
length  of  the  spine.  The  color  of  this  dark  band  is  a  deep  chestnut. 
This  animal  is  rather  larger  than  the  preceding,  being  a  little  more  than 
a  foot  in  length. 

In  the  formation  of  these  creatures  some  very  curious  sti'uctures  are 
found,  among  which  is  the  singular  grouping  of  arteries  and  veins  in 
the  limbs. 

Instead  of  the  usual  tree-like  mode  in  which  the  limbs  of  most 
animals  are  supplied  with  blood — one  large  trunk-vessel  entering  the 
limb,  and  then  branching  off  into  numerous  subdivisions — the  limbs 
of  the  Loris  are  furnished  with  blood  upon  a  strangely  modified  system. 
The  arteries  and  veins,  as  they  enter  and  leave  the  limb,  are  suddenly 
divided  into  a  great  number  of  cylindrical  vessels,  lying  close  to  each 
other  for  some  distance,  and  giving  off  their  tubes  to  the  different  parts 
of  the  limb.  It  is  possible  that  to  this  formation  may  be  owing  the 
power  of  silent  movement  and  slow  patience  which  has  been  men- 
tioned as  the  property  of  these  monkeys,  for  a  very  similar  structure 
is  found  to  exist  in  the  sloth. 

The  tongue  of  the  Loris  is  aided  iu  its  task  by  a  plate  of  cartilage, 
by  which  it  is  supported,  and  which  is,  indeed,  an  enlargement  of  the 
tendinous  band  that  is  found  under  the  root  of  the  tongue.  It  is  much 
thicker  at  its  base  than  at  the  extremity,  which  is  so  deeply  notched 
that  it  seems  to  have  been  slit  with  a  knife.  It  is  so  conspicuous  an 
organ  that  it  has  been  often  described  as  a  second  tongue.  The  throat 
and  vocal  organs  seem  to  be  but  little  developed,  as  is  consistent  with  the 
habits  of  an  animal  whose  very  subsistence  depends  upon  its  silence.  Ex- 
cepting when  irritated,  it  seldom  or  never  utters  a  sound,  and  even  then 
its  vocal  powers  seem  to  be  limited  to  a  little  monotonous,  plaintive  cry. 

In  captivity  this  Loris  appears  to  be  tolerably  omnivorous,  eating 
both  animal  and  vegetable  food,  preferring,  however,  the  former.  Liv- 
ing animals  best  please  its  taste,  and  the  greatest  dainty  that  can  be 
afforded  to  the  creature  is  a  small  bird,  which  it  instantly  kills,  plucks, 
and  eats  entirely,  the  bones  included.  Eggs  are  a  favorite  food  with 
it,  as  are  insects.  It  will  take  butcher's  meat  if  raw,  but  will  not  touch 
it  if  cooked  in  any  way.  Of  vegetable  substances,  sugar  appears  to 
take  its  fancy  the  most,  but  it  will  eat  fruits  of  various  kinds,  such  as 

oranges  and  plantains,  and  has  been  known  to  suck  gum-arabic. 
4  s- 


42  THE  INDEI  AND  THE  TAESIER. 

Another  curious  inhabitant  of  Madagascar  is  the  Indri,  or  Avaht, 
a  creature  that  has  sometimes  been  considered  one  of  the  lemurs,  and 
placed  among  them  by  systematic  naturalists.  From  the  curled  and 
woolly  hair  with  which  the  body  is  covered  it  derives  its  name  of 
"Laniger,"  or  "  woolbearer."  Just  over  the  loins  and  partly  down 
the  flanks  the  soft  wool-like  hair  takes  a  firmer  curl  than  is  found  to 
be  the  case  in  any  other  part  of  the  body  or  limbs.  It  is  but  a  small 
animal,  the  length  of  its  head  and  body  being  only  a  foot,  and  its  tail 
Dine  inches.  The  general  color  of  the  fur  is  a  lightish  brown,  with  a 
white  stripe  on  the  back  of  the  thigh,  and  a  tinge  of  chestnut  in  the 
tail.  In  some  individuals  a  rusty  red,  mingled  with  a  yellow  hue,  takes 
the  place  of^he  brown  ;  and  in  all  the  under  parts  are  lighter  than  the 
upper.  Its  face  is  black  and  the  eyes  are  gray,  with  a  greenish  light 
playing  through  their  large  orbs. 

The  name  "  Indri "  is  a  native  word,  signifying,  it  is  said,  "  man  of 
the  woods."  Its  voice  is  not  very  powerful,  but  it  can  be  heard  at  some 
distance.  It  is  of  a  melancholy,  wailing  character,  and  has  beeu  likened 
to  the  cry  of  a  child. 

There  are  two  animals  which  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  each  other, 
namely,  the  Galago  of  Madagascar  and  the  Tarsier.  The  ears  of  the 
latter,  however,  are  not  so  large  as  those  of  the  Galago,  and  the  tail  is 
less  thickly  covered  with  fur,  being  almost  devoid  of  hair,  except  at 
its  extremity,  where  it  forms  a  small  tuft.  The  hands  are  of  extraor- 
dinary length,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  creature.  This  peculi- 
arity is  caused  by  a  considerable  elongation  of  the  bones  composing  the 
"tarsus,"  or  back  of  the  hands  and  feet,  and  has  earned  for  the  animal 
the  title  of  Tarsier.  This  peculiarity  is  more  strongly  developed  in 
the  hinder  than  in  the  fore-paws. 

The  color  of  the  Tarsier  is  a  grayish  brown,  with  slight  olive-tint 
washed  over  the  body.  A  stripe  of  deeper  color  surrounds  the  back 
of  the  head,  and  the  face  and  forehead  are  of  a  warmer  brown  than 
the  body  and  limbs.  It  is  a  native  of  Borneo,  Celebes,  the  Philippine 
Islands,  and  Banca.  From  the  latter  locality  it  is  sometimes  called 
the  Banca  Tarsier.     Another  of  the  titles  by  which  it  is  known  is  the 

It  is  a  tree-inhabiting  animal,  and  skips  among  the  branches  with 
little  quick  leaps  that  have  been  likened  to  the  hoppings  of  a  frog.  In 
order  to  give  the  little  creature  a  firmer  hold  of  the  boughs  about  which 
it  is  constantly  leaping,  the  palms  of  the  hands  are  furnished  with  sev- 
eral cushions.  The  backs  of  the  hands  are  covered  with  soft,  downy 
fur,  resembling  the  hair  with  which  the  tail  is  furnished.  Excepting 
on  the  hands  and  tail,  the  fur  is  very  thic  k  and  of  a  woolly  character, 
but  at  the  root  of  the  tail  and  at  the  wrists  and  ankles  it  suddenly 
changes  to  the  short  downy  covering. 


THE  AYE-AYE. 


43 


The  true  position  of  that  very  rare  animal  the  Aye-aye  seems  very- 
doubtful,  some  naturalists  placing  it  in  the  position  which  it  occupies 
in  this  work,  and  others,  such  as  Van  der  Hoeven,  considering  it  to 
form  a  link  between  the  monkeys  and  the  rodent  animals,  the  incisor 
teeth  bearing  some  resemblance  to  those  of  the  rodents. 

These  curious  teeth  are 
extremely  powerful,  and 
are  very  deeply  set  in  the 
jawbones,  their  sockets  ex- 
tending nearly  the  entire 
depth  of  the  bone. 

They  are  used  just  like 
the  rodent  teeth,  the  ani- 
mal biting  deeply  into  the 
trees,  and  so  laying  bare 
the  burrows  of  various 
wood-boring  grubs. 

The  color  of  the  animal 
is  a  dull  black  on  the  up- 
per portions  of  the  body, 
the  under  parts,  as  well 
as  the  cheeks  and  throat, 
being  of  a  light  gray. 
The  paw^s  are  nearly 
black.  The  fur  of  the 
body  is  thickly  set,  and 
is  remarkable  for  an  in- 
ner coating  of  downy 
hair  of  a  golden  tint, 
which  sometimes  shows  itself  through  the  outer  coating.  On  the  tail 
the  hair  is  darker  than  on  the  body,  greater  in  length,  and  in  texture 
much  courser.  The  tail,  which  is  jetty  black,  seems  to  be  always 
trailed  at  length,  and  never  to  be  set  up  over  the  body  like  the  well- 
known  tail  of  the  squirrel.  The  ears  are  large,  and  nearly  destitute 
of  hair. 

The  natural  food  of  the  Aye-aye,  like  that  of  the  preceding  animals, 
is  of  a  mixed  character,  the  creature  eating  fruits  and  insects  indiscrim- 
inately. But  in  its  wild  state  it  is  said  to  search  the  trees  for  insects  as 
well  as  fruits,  and  to  drag  their  larvae  from  their  concealment  by  means 
of  its  delicate  fingers. 

The  fine  specimen  in  the  Zoological  Gardens,  however,  does  not 
touch  insects,  but  feeds  on  a  mixture  of  honey  and  hard-boiled  eggs 
beaten  into  a  paste  and  moistened  with  milk.  Still,  she  uses  her  teeth 
freely  on  the  branches  that  are  placed  in  her  cage,  and  very  soon  cuts 


A  YE- A  YE  {Cheiromys  Madagascar  iensis 


44 


THE  FLYING   LEMUR. 


them  to  pieces,  as  if  in  search  after  grubs.  She  is  very  active,  and 
climbs  about  the  cage  or  on  the  branches,  in  almost  any  position. 
Like  the  squirrel,  she  covers  herself  with  her  bushy  tail  when  in  repose. 

It  is  a  nocturnal  animal  like  the  Galagos  and  Lemurs,  and  seeks  its 
prey  by  night  only,  spending  the  day  in  sleep,  curled  up  in  the  dark 
hollow  of  a  tree,  or  in  some  similar  spot,  where  it  can  retire  from  view 
and  from  light. 

As  is  shown  by  the  scientific  name  of  the  Aye-aye,  it  is  a  native  of 
Madagascar,  and  even  in  that  island  is  extremely  scarce,  appearing  to 


CoLUGO  {Galeopithecus  votans). 

be  limited  to  the  western  portions  of  the  country,  and  to  escape  even 
the  quick  eyes  of  the  natives. 

The  eyes  are  of  a  brownish  yellow  color,  and  very  sensitive  to  light, 
as  may  be  expected  in  a  creature  so  entirely  nocturnal  in  its  habits.  It 
is  not  a  very  small  animal,  measuring  almost  a  yard  in  total  length,  of 
which  the  tail  occupies  one  moiety. 

The  strange  animal  which  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Flying 
Lemur,  or  Colugo,  affords  an  intermediate  link  of  transition  between 
the  four-handed  and  the  wing-handed  mammals. 

By  means  of  the  largely-developed  membrane  which  connects  the 
limbs  with  each  other,  and  the  hinder  limbs  with  the  tail,  the  Colugo 


BATS.  45 

is  enabled  to  leap  through  very  great  distances,  and  to  pass  from  one 
bough  to  another  with  ease.  This  membrane  is  a  prolongation  of  the 
natural  skin,  and  is  covered  with  hair  on  the  upper  side  as  thickly  as 
any  part  of  the  body,  but  beneath  it  is  almost  naked.  When  the  crea- 
ture desires  to  make  one  of  its  long  sweeping  leaps,  it  spreads  its  limbs 
as  widely  as  possible,  and  thus  converts  itself  into  a  kind  of  living  kite, 
as  is  shown  in  the  figure.  By  thus  presenting  a  large  surface  to  the  air, 
it  can  be  supported  in  its  passage  between  the  branches,  and  is  said  to 
vary  its  course  slightly  by  the  movement  of  its  arms.  It  is  said  that 
the  Colugo  will  thus  pass  over  nearly  a  hundred  yards. 

Among  other  bat-like  habits,  the  Colugo  is  accustomed  to  suspend  it- 
self by  its  hinder  paws  from  the  branch  of  a  tree,  and  in  this  pendent 
attitude  it  sleeps.  Its  slumbers  are  mostly  diurnal,  for  the  Colugo  is  a 
night-loving  animal,  and  is  seldom  seen  in  motion  until  the  shades  of 
evening  draw  on.  But  on  the  approach  of  night,  the  Colugo  awakes 
from  its  drowsiness,  and,  unhooking  its  claws  from  the  branch  on 
which  it  has  hung  suspended  during  the  hours  of  daylight,  sets  off  on 
its  travels  in  search  of  food. 

It  is  found  in  many  of  the  islands  that  belong  to  the  Indian  Arch- 
ipelago, and  is  tolerably  common. 

The  color  of  the  fur  is  very  uncertain,  even  in  the  same  species,  some 
specimens  being  of  a  light  brown,  others  of  a  gray  tint,  more  or  less 
deep  ;  while  many  individuals  have  their  fur  diversified  with  irreg- 
ular marblings  or  stripes,  or  spots  of  different  shades  and  tints. 

The  Colugo  is  by  no  means  a  small  animal,  as,  when  it  is  full  grown, 
it  equals  a  large  cat  in  size. 

CHEIROPTERA,  OR  WING-HANDED  ANIMALS, 
POPULARLY  CALLED  BATS. 

In  general  form  the  Bats  are  clearly  separated  from  any  other  group 
of  animals,  and  by  most  evident  modifications  of  structure  can  be  recog- 
nized by  the  most  cursory  glance. 

The  first  peculiarity  in  the  Bat  form  which  strikes  the  eye  is  the*wide 
and  delicate  membrane  which  stretches  round  the  body,  and  which  is 
used  in  the  place  of  the   wings  with  which  birds  are  furnished. 

In  order  to  support  this  beautiful  membrane,  to  extend  it  to  its  requi- 
site width,  and  to  strike  the  air  with  it  for  the  purposes  of  flight,  the 
bones  of  the  fore-part  of  the  body,  and  especially  those  of  the  arms  and 
hands,  undergo  a  singular  modification. 

The  finger-bones  are  strangely  disproportioned  to  the  remainder  of 
the  body,  the  middle  finger  being  considerably  longer  than  the  head 
and  body  together.  The  thumb  is  very  much  shorter  than  any  of  the 
fingers,  and  furnished  with  a  sharp  and  curved  claw.     By  means  of  this 


46 


THE  VAMPIKE  BAT. 


claw  the  Bat  is  enabled  to  proceed  along  a  level  surface,  and  to  attach 
itself  to  any  object  that  may  be  convenient. 

The  lower  portions  of  the  body  and  limbs  are  singularly  small  in 
proportion  to  the  upper  limbs.  The  legs  are  short  and  slender,  and 
so  arranged  that  the  feet  are  rather  turned  outward,  for  the  purpose 
of  using  the  sharp  claws  freely.  A  kind  of  slender  and  spur-like  bone 
is  seen  to  proceed  from  the  heel  of  each  foot. 

The  Vampire  Bat  is  a  native  of  Southern  America,  and  is  spread 
over  a  large  extent  of  country.  It  is  not  a  very  large  animal,  the 
length  of  its  body  and  tail  being  only  six  inches,  or  perhaps  seven  in 
large  specimens,  and  the  spread  of  the  wing  two  feet,  or  rather  more. 
The  color  of  the  Vampire's  fur  is  a  mouse  tint,  with  a  shade  of  brown. 


The  Vampire  JjAT  (  Vamj^ums  spectrum). 

Many  tales  have  been  told  of  the  Vampire  Bat  and  its  fearful  attacks 
upon  sleeping  men — tales  which,  although  founded  on  fact,  were  so  sadly 
exaggerated  as  to  cause  a  reaction  in  the  opposite  direction.  It  was  re- 
ported to  come  silently  by  night,  and  to  search  for  the  exposed  toes  of 
a  sound  sleeper,  its  instinct  telling  it  whether  the  intended  victim  were 
thoroughly  buried  in  sleep.  Poising  itself  above  the  feet  of  its  prey, 
and  fanning  them  with  its  extended  wings,  it  produced  a  cool  atmo- 
sphere, which,  in  those  hot  climates,  aided  in  soothing  the  slumberer  into 
a  still  deeper  repose.  The  Bat  then  applied  its  needle-pointed  teeth  to 
the  upturned  foot,  and  inserted  them  into  the  tip  of  a  toe  with  such 
adroit  dexterity  that  no  pain  was  caused  by  the  tiny  wound.  The  lips 
were  then  brought  into  action,  and  the  blood  was  sucked  until  the  Bat 
was  satiated.  It  then  disgorged  the  food  which  it  had  just  taken  and 
began  afresh,  continuing  its  alternated  feeding  and  disgorging  until  the 
victim  perished  from  sheer  loss  of  blood. 

For  a  time  this  statement  gained  dominion,  but  after  a  while  was  less 


THE  LONG-EARED  BAT. 


47 


and  less  believed,  until  at  last  naturalists  repudiated  the  whole  story  as 
a  "  traveller's  tale."  However,  as  usual,  the  truth  seems  to  have  lain 
between  the  two  extremes ;  for  it  is  satisfactorily  ascertained,  by 
more  recent  travellers,  that  the  Vampires  really  do  bite  both  men 
and  cattle  during  the  night,  but  that  the  wound  is  never  known  to 
be  fatal,  and  in  most  instances  causes  but  little  inconvenience  to  the 
sufferer. 

When  they  direct  their  attacks  against  mankind,  the  Vampires 
almost  invariably  select  the  foot  as  their  point  of  operation,  and  their 
blood-loving  propensities  are  the  dread  of  both  natives  and  Europeans. 
With  singular  audacity,  the  Bats  even  creep  into  human  habitations, 
and  seek  out  the  exposed  feet  of  any  sleeping  inhabitant  who  has  in- 
cautiously neglected  to  draw  a  coverlet  over  his  limbs. 

One  of  the  most  common,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  elegant,  of 
the  British  Cheiroptera,  is  the  well-known  Long-eared  Bat. 

This  pretty  little  creature  may  be  found  in  all  parts  of  England,  and 
on  account  of  its  singularly  beautiful,  ears  and  gentle  temper  has  fre- 
quently been  tamed  and  domesticated.  I  have  possessed  several  speci- 
mens of  this  Bat,  and  in  every  case  have  been  rewarded  for  my  trouble 
by  the  curious  little  traits  of  temper  and  disposition  which  have  been 
exhibited. 

One  of  my  Bat  favorites  was  captured  under  rather  peculiar  circum- 
stances. 

It  had  entered  a  gro- 
cer's shop,  and  to  the  con- 
sternatiQji  of  the  grocer 
and  his  assistant  had  got 
among  the  sugar  loaves 
which  were  piled  on  an 
upper  shelf  So  terrible 
a  foe  as  the  Bat  (nearly 
two  inches  long)  put  to 
rout  their  united  forces, 
and  beyond  poking  at  it 
with  a  broom  as  it  cowered  Noctule,  or  Great  Bat  [Nodulinia  Altivolans). 
behind  the  sugar,  no  at- 
tempts were  made  to  dislodge  it.  At  this  juncture  my  aid  was  invoked, 
and  I  accordingly  drew  the  Bat  from  its  hiding-place.  It  did  its  best 
to  bite,  but  its  tiny  teeth  could  do  no  damage  even  to  a  sensitive 
skin. 

The  Bat  was  then  placed  in  an  empty  mouse-cage,  and  soon  became 
sufficiently  familiar  to  eat  and  drink  under  observation.  It  would 
never  eat  flies,  although  many  of  these  insects  were  offered,  and  seemed 
to  prefer  small  bits  of  raw  beef  to  any  other  food.     It  was  a  trouble- 


48  THE  FLYING  FOX. 

some  animal  to  feed,  for  it  would  not  toucn  tne  meat  uniess  it  were 
freshly  cut  and  quite  moist,  forcing  me  to  prepare  morsels  fit  for  its 
dainty  maw  six  or  seven  times  daily. 

It  spent  the  day  at  the  top  or  on  the  side  of  its  cage,  being  suspended 
by  its  hinder  claws,  and  would  occasionally  descend  from  its  eminence 
in  order  to  feed  or  to  drink.  While  eating,  it  was  accustomed  to  lower 
itself  from  the  cage  roof,  and  to  crawl  along  the  floor  until  it  reached 
the  piece  of  meat:  The  wings  were  then  thrown  forward  so  as  to 
envelop  the  food,  and  under  the  shelter  of  its  wings  the  Bat  would 
drop  its  head  over  the  meat  and  then  consume  it.  On  account  of  the 
sharp  surface  of  its  teeth,  it  could  not  eat  its  food  quietly,  but  was 
forced  to  make  a  series  of  pecking  bites,  something  like  the  action  of 
a  cat  in  similar  circumstances. 

It  would  drink  in  several  ways,  sometimes  crawling  up  to  the  water- 
v.essel  and  putting  its  head  into  the  water,  but  usually  lowering  itself 
down  the  side  of  the  cage  until  its  nose  dipped  in  the  liquid.  When 
it  had  til  us  satisfied  its  thirst,  it  would  reascend  to  the  roof,  fold  its 
wings  about  itself,  and  betake  itself  to  slumber  once  more. 

I  kept  the  little  animal  some  time,  but  it  did  not  appear  to  thrive, 
having,  in  all  probability,  been  hurt  by  the  broom-handle  which  had 
been  used  so  freely  against  it,  and  at  last  was  found  dead  in  its  cage 
from  no  apparent  cause.  Although  dead,  it  still  hung  suspended,  and 
the  only  circumstance  that  appeared  strange  in  its  attitude  was  that 
the  wings  drooped  downward  instead  of  being  wrapped  tightly  round 
the  body. 

In  the  attitude  of  repose  this  Bat  presents  a  most  singular  figure. 
The  wings  are  wrapped  around  and  held  firmly  to  the  body;  the 
immense  ears  are  folded  back,  and  the  pointed  inner  ear,  or  "  tragus," 
stands  boldly  out,  giving  the  creature  a  totally  different  aspect. 

The  Bats  which  have  heretofore  been  mentioned  feed  on  animal 
substances,  insects  appearing  to  aff()rd  the  principal  nutriment,  and 
raw  meat  or  fresh  blood  being  their  occasional  luxuries.  But  the  Bats 
of  which  the  accompanying  engraving  (p.  49)  is  an  example  are  chiefly 
vegetable  feeders,  and  in  their  own  land  are  most  mischievous  among 
the  fruit  trees. 

They  are  the  largest  of  the  present  Bat  tribe,  some  of  them  measur- 
ing nearly  five  feet  in  expanse  of  wing.  Their  popular  name  is  Fly- 
ing Foxes,  a  term  which  has  been  applied  to  them  on  account  of  the 
red,  fox-like  color  of  the  fur  and  the  very  vulpine  aspect  of  the  head. 
Although  so  superior  in  size  to  the  Vampires,  the  Flying  Foxes  are  not 
to  be  dreaded  as  personal  enemies,  for,  unless  roughly  handled,  they  are 
not  given  to  biting  animated  beings. 

But  though  their  attacks  are  not  made  directly  upon  animal  life, 
they  are  of  considerable  importance  in  an  indirect  point  of  view,  for 


HABITS  OF  THE  FLYING  FOX. 


49 


they  are  aimed  against  the  fruits  and  other  vegetable  substances  by 
which  animal  life  is  sustained. 

I  have  often  seen  the  Kalong,  as  this  bat  is  often  called,  engaged  in 
eating  fruit.  It  would  accept  a  slice  of  apple  or  pear  while  suspended 
by  its  hind-legs.  It  then  bent  its  head  upward,  brought  its  winged  arms 
forward  so  as  to  enclose  head  and  fruit  together,  and  then  would  devour 
its  meal  with  a  series  of  suapping  bites. 

The  Kalougs  do  not  seem  to  care  much  for  dark  and  retired  places 
of  abode,  and  pass  the  day— which  is  their  night— suspended  from  the 


Flying  Fox,  or  Eoussette  {Pteropus  rubricoUis), 

trunks  of  large  trees,  preferring  those  which  belong  to  the  fig  genus. 
On  these  boughs  they  hang  in  vast  numbers,  and  by  an  inexperienced 
observer  might  readily  be  taken  for  bunches  of  large  fruits,  so  closely 
and  quietly  do  they  hang.  If  disturbed  in  their  repose,  they  set  up  a 
chorus  of  sharp  screams,  and  flutter  about  in  a  state  of  sad  bewilder- 
ment, their  night-loving  eyes  being  dazzled  by  the  hateful  glare  of  the 


sun. 


50 


THE  LION. 


FELID^,  OR  THE  CAT  TRIBE. 

The  beautiful  animals  which  are  knowu  by  the  general  name  of  the 
Cat  tribe  now  engage  our  attention. 

With  the  exception  of  one  or  two  of  the  enigmatical  creatures  which 
are  found  in  every  group  of  beings,  whether  animal,  vegetable,  or  min- 
eral, the  Cats — or  Felid^,  as  they  are  more  learnedly  termed — are  as 
distinct  an  order  as  the  monkeys  or  the  bats.  Pre-eminently  carnivor- 
ous in  their  diet,  and  destructive  in  their  mode  of  obtaining  food,  their 
bodily  form  is  most  exquisitely  adapted  to  carry  out  the  instincts  which 
are  implanted  in  their  nature. 

All  the  members  of  the  Cat  tribe  are  light,  stealthy,  and  silent  of 
foot,  quick  of  ear  and  eye,  and  swift  of  attack.  Most  of  them  are 
possessed  of  the  power  of  climbing  trees  or  rocks,  but  some  few  species, 
such  as  the  Lion,  are  devoid  of  this  capability. 

Of  the  magnificent  and  noble  creatures  called  Lions,  several  species 
are  reported   to  exist,  although   it   is  thought   by  many  experienced 


Male  and  Female  Lion  in  the  Zoological  Garden,  Philadelphia. 

judges  that  there  is  really  but  one  species  of  Lion,  which  is  modi- 
fied into  permanent  varieties  according  to  the  country  in  which  it 
lives. 


THE  SOUTH  AFRICAN  LION. 


51 


The  best  kuown  of  these  species  or  varieties  is  the  South  African 
Lion,  of  which  so  mauy  aueedotes  have  beeu  uarrated. 

The  color  of  the  Lion  is  a  tawny  yellow,  lighter  on  the  under  parts  of 
the  body,  and  darker  above.  The  ears  are  blackish,  and  the  tip  of  the 
tail  is  decorated  with  a  tuft  of  black  hair.  This  tuft  serves  to  distin- 
guish the  Liou  from  any  other  member  of  the  Cat  tribe.  The  male 
Lion,  when  fully  grown,  is  furnished  with  a  thick  and  shaggy  mane 
of  very  long  hair,  which  falls  from  the  neck,  shoulders,  and   part  of 


The  Lion  {Leo  barbarm). 

the  throat  and  chin,  varying  in  tint  according  to  the  age  of  the  ani- 
mal, and  possibly  according  to  the  locality  which  it  inhabits.  The 
Lioness  possesses  no  mane,  and  even  in  the  male  Lion  it  is  not  prop- 
erly developed  until  the  animal  has  completed  his  third  year. 

When  fully  grown,  the  male  Lion  measures  some  four  feet  in  height 
at  the  shoulder,  and  about  eleven  feet  in  total  length. 

The  Lioness  is  a  smaller  animal  than  her  mate,  and  the  difference 
of  size  appears  to  be  much  greater  than  really  is  the  case,  because  she 


52  THE  TIGER. 

is  devoid  of  the  thick  mane  which  gives  such  grandeur  and  dignity  to 
her  spouse. 

In  the  attack  on  large  animals,  the  Lion  seldom  attempts  an  unaided 
assault,  but  joins  in  the  pursuit  with  several  companions.  Thus  it  is 
that  the  stately  giraffe  is  slain  by  the  Lion,  five  of  which  have  been 
seen  engaged  in  the  chase  of  one  giraffe,  two  actually  pulling  down 
their  prey,  while  the  other  three  were  w^aiting  close  at  hand.  The 
Lions  were  driven  off,  and  the  neck  of  the  giraffe  was  found  to  be 
bitten  through  by  the  cruel  teeth  of  the  assailants. 

Owing  to  the  uniform  tawny  color  of  the  Lion's  coat,  he  is  hardly 
distinguishable  from  surrounding  objects  even  in  broad  daylight,  and 
by  night  he  walks  secure.  Even  the  practised  eyes  of  an  accomplished 
hunter  have  been  unable  to  detect  the  bodies  of  Lions  which  were  lap- 
ping water  at  some  twenty  yards'  distance,  betraying  their  vicinity  by 
the  sound,  but  so  blended  in  form  with  the  landscape  that  they  afford- 
ed no  mark  for  the  rifle  even  at  that  short  distance. 

LTpon  the  African  continent  the  Lion  reigns  supreme,  sole  monarch 
over  the  feline  race.  But  in  Asia  his  claims  to  undivided  royalty  are 
disputed  by  the  Tiger,  an  animal  which  equals  the  Lion  in  size,  strength, 
and  activity,  and  certainly  excels  him  in  the  elegance  of  its  form,  the 
grace  of  its  movements,  and  the  beauty  of  its  fur.  The  range  of  the 
Tiger  is  not  so  widely  spread  as  that  of  the  Lion,  for  it  is  never  found 
in  any  portions  of  the  New  AVorld  or  in  Africa,  and,  except  in  certain 
districts,  is  but  rarely  :;een  even  in  the  countries  where  it  takes  up  its 
residence.  Some  portions  of  country  there  are  which  are  absolutely 
infested  by  this  fierce  animal,  whose  very  appearance  is  sufficient  to 
throw  the  natives  into  a  state  of  abject  terror. 

In  its  color  the  Tiger  presents  a  most  beautiful  arrangement  of  mark- 
ings and  contrast  of  tints.  On  a  bright  tawny  yellow  ground,  sundry 
dark  stripes  are  placed,  arranged,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  engraving, 
nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  body  or  limbs.  Some  of  these  stripes 
are  double,  but  the  greater  number  are  single  dark  streaks.  The  under 
parts  of  the  body,  the  chest,  throat,  and  the  long  hair  which  tufts  each 
side  of  the  face,  are  almost  white,  and  upon  these  parts  the  stripes  be- 
come very  obscure,  fading  gradually  into  the  light  tint  of  the  fur.  The 
tail  is  of  a  whiter  hue  than  the  upper  portions  of  the  body,  and  is  dec- 
orated in  like  manner  with  dark  rings. 

So  brilliantly  adorned  an  animal  would  appear  to  be  very  conspic- 
uous among  even  the  trees  and  bushes,  and  to  thrust  itself  boldly  upon 
the  view.  But  there  is  no  animal  which  can  hide  itself  more  thoroughly 
than  the  Tiger,  or  which  can  walk  through  the  underwood  with  less 
betrayal  of  its  presence. 

The  vertical  stripes  of  the  body  harmonize  so  well  with  the  dry, 
dusky  jungle  grass  among  which  this  creature  loves  to  dwell  that  the 


THE  TIGER.  4;-  .^ 

s^rass  and  fur  are  hardly  distinguishable  from  each  other  except  by  a 
quick  and  experienced  eye.  A  Tiger  may  thus  lie  concealed  so  cleverlv 
that,  even  when  crouching  among  low  and  scanty  vegetation,  it  may  be 
almost  trodden  on  without  being  seen. 

The  Tiger  is  very  clever  in  selecting  spots  from  whence  it  can  watch 
the  approach  of  its  intended  prey,  itself  being  crouched  under  the  shade 
of  foliage  or  behind  the  screen  of  some  friendly  rock.  It  is  fond  of 
lying  in  wait  by  the  side  of  moderately-frequented  roads,  more  partic- 
ularly choosing  those  spots  where  the  shade  is  the  deepest,  and  where 
water  may  be  found  at  hand  wherewith  to  quench  the  thirst  that  it  al- 


The  Tiger  [Tigris  regalis). 

ways  feels  when  consuming  its  prey.  From  such  a  point  of  vantage  it 
will  leap  with  terrible  effect,  seldom  making  above  a  single  spring,  and, 
as  a  rule,  always  being  felt  before  it  is  seen  or  beard. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  Tiger  generally  takes  up  his  post  on  the 
side  of  the  road  which  is  opposite  his  lair,  so  that  he  has  no  need  to 
turn  and  drag  his  prey  across  the  road,  but  proceeds  forward  with  his 
acquisition  to  his  den.  Should  the  Tiger  miss  his  leap,  he  generally 
seems  bewildered  and  ashamed  of  himself,  and,  inst(^ad  of  returning  to 
the  spot  to  make  a  second  attempt,  sneaks  off  discomfited  from  the 
scene  of  his  humiliation.  The  spots  where  there  is  most  danger  of 
meeting  a  Tiger  are  the  crossings  of  nullahs  or  the  deep  ravines 
through  which  the  watercourses  run.  In  these  localities  the  Tiger  is 
sure  to  find  his  two  essentials,  cover  and  water.  So  apathetic  are  the 
natives,  and  so  audacious  are  the  Tigers,  that  at  some  of  these  crossings 

5« 


54  THE  LEOPARD. 

a  n/an  or  a  bullock  may  be  carried  off  daily,  and  yet  no  steps  will  be 
taken  to  avert  the  danger,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  amulets  sus- 
pended about  the  person.  Sometimes  the  Tigers  seem  to  take  a  panic 
and  make  a  general  emigration,  leaving,  without  any  apparent  reason, 
the  spots  which  they  had  long  infested,  and  making  a  sudden  appear- 
ance in  some  locality  where  they  have  but  seldom  before  been  seen. 

Many  modes  are  adopted  of  killing  so  fearful  a  pest  as  the  Tiger, 
and  some  of  these  plans  are  very  ingenious — such  as  tlie  spring-bow, 
which  is  discharged  by  the  movements  of  the  animal  itself;  the  pitfall, 
from  which  it  cannot  escape ;  the  leaves  smeared  with  bird-lime,  by 
which  the  Tiger  blinds  itself,  and  so  falls  an  easy  prey;  the  fall-trap ; 
and  many  others.  Among  Europeans,  however,  the  Tiger  is  hunted 
in  due  form,  the  sportsmen  being  mounted  on  elephants,  and  furnished 
with  a  perfect  battery  of  loaded  rifles.  The  shell  bullet,  which  ex- 
plodes as  it  enters  the  body,  has  come  much   into  vogue. 

The  Tiger  is  a  capital  swimmer,  and  will  take  to  the  water  with 
perfect  readiness,  eithej*  in  search  of  prey  or  to  escape  the  pursuit  of 
enemies. 

It  swims  rather  high  in  the  water,  and  therefore  affords  a  good  mark 
to  those  who  are  quick  of  aim.  The  natatory  abilities  are  by  no  means 
small,  and  while  swimming  it  can  strike  out  with  its  paws  most  effect- 
ively, inflicting  deep  wounds  wherever  its  outspread  talons  make  good 
their  aim.  So  cunning  is  the  animal  that  if  there  should  be  no  cause 
for  hurry  it  will  halt  on  the  river's  brink,  and  deliberately  put  its  paw 
into  the  water,  so  as  to  ascertain  the  force  of  the  stream.  This  point 
being  made  clear,  it  proceeds  either  up  or  down  the  river,  as  may  best 
suit  its  purpose,  and  so  makes  allowance  for  the  river  stream  or  the 
ocean  tide. 

Unlike  the  Tiger,  which  is  confined  to  the  Asiatic  portion  of  the 
world,  the  Leopard  is  found  in  Africa  as  well  as  in  Asia,  and  is 
represented  in  America  by  the  Jaguar,  or,  perhaps  more  rightly,  by 
the  Puma. 

This  animal  is  one  of  the  most  graceful  of  the  graceful  tribe  of  Cats, 
and,  although  far  less  in  dimensions  than  the  tiger,  challenges  competi- 
tion with  that  animal  in  the  beautiful  markings  of  its  fur  and  the  easy 
elegance  of  its  movements.  It  is  possessed  of  an  accomplishment  which 
is  not  within  the  powers  of  the  lion  or  tiger,  being  able  to  climb  trees 
with  singular  ability,  and  even  to  chase  the  tree-loving  animals  among 
their  familiar  haunts.  On  account  of  this  power,  it  is  called  by  the 
natives  of  India  "  Lakree-baug,"  or  Tree-tiger.  Even  in  Africa  it  is 
occasionally  called  a  '*  Tiger,"  a  confusion  of  nomenclature  which  is 
quite  bewildering  to  a  non-zoologist,  who  may  read  in  one  book  that 
there  are  no  tigers  in  Africa,  and  in  another  may  peruse  a  narrative 
of  a  tiger-hunt  at  the  Cape.     Similar  mistakes  are  made  with  regard  to 


THE   LEOPARD.  65 

the  American  Felidse,  not  to  mention  the  numerous  examples  of  mis- 
called animals  that  are  insulted  by  false  titles  in  almost  every  part  of 
the  globe.  For  in  America  the  Puma  is  popularly  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Lion  or  the  Panther — or  "  Painter,"  as  the  American  forester 
prefers  to  call  it — while  the  Jaguar  is  termed   the  "  Tiger." 


The  Leopard  {Leopardus  varius). 

In  Africa  the  Leopard  is  well  known  and  much  dreaded,  for  it  pos- 
sesses a  most  crafty  brain,  as  well  as  an  agile  body  and  sharp  teeth  and 
claws.  It  commits  sad  depredations  on  flocks  and  herds,  and  has  suf- 
ficient foresight  to  lay  up  a  little  stock  of  provisions  for  a  future  day. 

When  attacked  it  will  generally  endeavor  to  slink  away,  and  to  es- 
cape the  observation  of  its  pursuers ;  but  if  it  is  wounded,  and  finds 
no  means  of  eluding  its  foes,  it  becomes  furious,  and  charges  at  them 
with  such  determinate  rage  that,  unless  it  falls  a  victim  to  a  well-aimed 
shot,  it  may  do  fearful  damage  before  it  yields  up  its  life.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  ferocity  and  courage  of  the  Leopard,  the  native  African 
races  make  much  of  those  warriors  who  have  been  fortunate  enough  to 
kill  one  of  these  beasts. 

In  its  own  country  the  Leopard  is  as  crafty  an  animal  as  the  British 
fox,  and,  being  aided  by  its  active  limbs  and  stealthy  tread,  gains  quiet 
admission  into  many  spots  where  no  less  cautious  a  creature  could  plant 


56 


THE  OUNCE. 


a  step  without  giving  the  alarm.  It  is  an  inveterate  chicken-stealer, 
creeping  by  night  into  the  hen-roosts,  in  spite  of  the  watchful  dogs  that 
are  at  their  posts  as  sentinels,  and  destroying  in  one  fell  swoop  the  en- 
tire stock  of  poultry  that  happen  to  be  collected  under  that  roof  Even 
should  they  roost  out  of  doors  they  are  no  less  in  danger,  for  the  Leop- 
ard can  clamber  a  pole  or  tree  with  marvellous  rapidity,  and  with  its 
ready  paw  strike  down  the  poor  bird  before  it  is  fairly  awakened. 

There  are  two  titles  for  this  animal — namely,  the  Leopard  and  Pan- 
ther, both  of  which  creatures  are  now  acknowledged  to  be  but  slight 
varieties  of  the  same  species.     The  Ounce,  however,  which  was  once 


The  Ounce  [Leopardus  uncia). 

thought  to  be  but  a  longer-haired  variety  of  the  leopard,  is  now  known 
to  be  truly  a  separate  species. 

In  general  appearance  it  bears  a  very  close  resemblance  to  the  leop- 
ard, but  may  be  distinguished  from  that  animal  by  the  greater  fulness 
and  roughness  of  its  fur,  as  well  as  by  some  variations  in  the  markings 
with  which  it  is  decorated.  The  spots  exhibit  a  certain  tendency  to 
form  stripes,  and  the  tail  is  exceedingly  bushy  when  compared  with 
that  of  a  leopard  of  equal  size.  The  general  color  of  the  body  is 
rather  paler  than  that  of  the  leopard,  being  a  grayish  white,  in  which 
a  slight  yellow  tinge  is  perceptible.     The  Ounce  is  an  inhabitant  of 


THE  PUMA.  57 

some  parts  of  Asia,  aud  specimens  of  this  fine  animal  have  been 
brought  from  the  shores  of  the  Persian  Gulf  In  size  it  equals  the  or- 
dinary leopard  of  Asia  or  Africa. 

Passing  to  the  New  World,  we  find  the  feline  races  well  represented 
by  several  most  beautiful  and  graceful  creatures,  of  which  the  Jaguar 
is  the  largest  and  most  magnificent  example. 

Closely  resembling  the  Leopard  in  external  appearance  and  in  its 
arboreal  habits,  it  seems  to  play  the  same  part  in  America  as  the 
leopard  in  the  Transatlantic  continents.  It  is  a  larger  animal  than 
the  leopard,  and  may  be  distinguished  from  that  animal  by  several 
characteristic  differences. 

In  the  first  place,  across  the  breast  of  the  Jaguar  are  drawn  two  or 
three  bold  black  streaks,  which  are  never  seen  in  the  leopard,  and 
which  alone  serve  as  an  easy  guide  to  the  species.  But  the  chief 
point  of  distinction  is  found  in  a  small  mark  that  exists  in  the  centre 
of  the  dark  spots  which  cover  the  body  and  sides.  In  many  instances 
this  central  mark  is  double,  and,  in  order  to  give  room  for  it,  the 
rosettes  are  very  large  in  proportion  to  those  of  the  leopard.  Along 
the  spine  runs  a  line,  or  chain,  of  black  spots  and  dashes,  extending 
from  the  back  of  the  head  to  the  first  foot  or  eighteen  inches  of  the 
tail. 

In  its  native  land  the  Jaguar  ranges  the  dense  and  perfumed  forests 
in  search  of  the  various  creatures  which  fall  victims  to  its  powerful 
claws.  The  list  of  animals  that  compose  its  bill  of  fare  is  a  large  and 
comprehensive  one,  including  horses,  deer,  monkeys,  capybaras,  tapirs, 
birds  of  various  kinds,  turtles,  lizards,  and  fish,  thus  comprising  exam- 
ples of  all  the  four  orders  of  vertebrated  animals.  Nor  does  the  Jaguar 
confine  itself  to  the  vertebrates.  Various  shell-fish,  insects,  and  other 
creatures  fall  victims  to  the  insatiate  appetite  of  this  ravenous  animal. 

It  seems  strange  that  such  powerful  creatures  as  horses  should  be 
reckoned  among  the  prey  of  the  Jaguar,  for  it  would  seem  unlikely 
that  the  muscular  force  of  the  animal  could  be  equal  to  the  task  of 
destroying  and  carrying  away  so  large  a  quadruped  as  a  horse.  Yet 
such  is  truly  the  case;  and  the  Jaguars  commit  infinite  havoc  among 
the  horses  that  band  together  in  large  herds  on  the  plains  of  Paraguay. 
A  Jaguar  has  been  known  to  swim  across  a  wide  river,  to  kill  a  horse, 
to  drag  it  for  some  sixty  yards  to  the  waterside,  to  plunge  with  it  into 
the  stream,  to  swim  across  the  river  with  its  prey,  to  drag  it  out  of  the 
water  after  reaching  the  opposite  bank,  and  finally  to  carry  it  off  into 
a  neighboring  wood. 

The  favorite  food  of  the  Jaguar — when  he  can  get  it — is  the  flesh 
of  the  various  monkeys.  But  to  catch  a  monkey  is  not  the  easiest  task 
in  the  world,  and  in  general  can  only  be  achieved  by  leaping  upon  the 
prey  from  a  place  of  concealment,  or  by  surprising  the  monkeys  while 


68 


THE  JAGUAR. 


The  Jaguar  {Leopardus  onca). 


sleeping.     Sometimes  it  is  fortunate  enough  to  get  among  a  little  band 
of  monkeys  before  they  are  aware  of  the  presence  of  the  dreaded  fere, 

and   then   seizes   the 


opportunity  of  deal- 
ing a  few  fierce 
strokes  of  its  terrible 
paw  among  the  part- 
ly-awakened sleepers, 
thus  dashing  them  to 
the  ground,  whither  it 
descends  to  feast  at 
leisure  on  the  ample 
repast. 

Of  turtles  and  their 
eggs  the  Jaguar  is 
particularly  fond,  and 
displays  great  ingen- 
uity and  strength  in 
the  securing,  killing  and  eating  them.  Watching  the  turtle  as  she  walks 
riverward  or  seaward,  as  the  case  may  be,  after  depositing  her  eggs  under 
a  slightcovering  of  earth,  there  to  be  warmed  into  being  by  the  genial  rays 
of  the  sun,  the  Jaguar  springs  upon  her,  and  with  a  quick  and  adroit  move- 
ment of  the  paws  turns  the  turtle  on  its  back.  There  the  poor  reptile  lies, 
helpless,  and  waiting  until  its  captor  is  pleased  to  consummate  his  work 
by  killing  and  eating  the  animal  which  he  has  thus  ingeniously  inter- 
cepted. Tearing  away  as  much  as  possible  of  the  softer  parts  that  lie  by 
the  tail,  the  Jaguar  inserts  his  supple  paw,  armed  with  its  sharp  talons, 
and  scoops  out,  as  neatly  as  if  cut  by  knives,  the  flesh  together  with  the 
vital  organs  of  the  devoted  chelonian. 

Few  animals  have  been  known  by  such  a  variety  of  names  as  the 
Puma  of  America.  Travellers  have  indifferently  entitled  it  the 
American  Lion,  the  Panther,  the  Cougar,  the  Carcajou  (which  is  an 
entirely  different  animal),  the  Gouazoura,.  the  Cuguacurana,  and  many 
other  names. 

It  is  rather  a  large  animal,  but,  on  account  of  its  small  head,  appears 
to  be  a  less  powerful  creature  than  really  is  the  case.  The  total  length 
of  the  Puma  is  about  six  feet  and  a  half,  of  which  the  tail  occupies 
rather  more  than  two  feet.  The  tip  of  the  tail  is  black,  but  is  desti- 
tute of  the  long  tuft  of  black  hair  which  is  so  characteristic  of  the 
Lion. 

The  color  of  the  Puma  is  a  uniform  light  tawny  tint,  deeper  in  some 
individuals  than  in  others,  and  fading  into  a  grayish  white  on  the  under 
parts.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  young  Puma  displays  a  gradual 
change  in  its  fur,  nearly  in  the  same  way  as  has  been  narrated  of  the 


THE  OCELOT.  59 

Hon  cub.  While  the  Puma  cubs  are  yet  in  their  first  infancy,  their 
coat  is  marked  with  several  rows  of  dark  streaks  extending  along  the 
back  and  sides,  and  also  bears  upon  the  neck,  sides,  and  shoulders 
many  dark  spots  resembling  those  of  the  ordinary  leopard.     But  as 


^4^- 


The  Puma  {Leopanhis  concoJor). 

the  animal  increases  in  size  the  spots  fade  away,  and  when  it  has  attain^ 
ed  its  perfect  development  are  altogether  lost  in  the  uniform  tawny  hue 
of  the  fur. 

The  flesh  of  this  animal  is  said,  by  those  who  have  made  trial  of  it,  to 
be  a  pleasant  addition  to  the  diet  scale,  being  white,  tender,  and  of 
good  flavor.  When  taken  young,  the  Puma  is  peculiarly  susceptible 
of  domestication,  and  has  been  known  to  follow  its  master  just  like  a 
dog.  The  hunters  of  the  Pampas  are  expert  Puma-slayers,  and  achieve 
their  end  either  by  catching  the  bewildered  animal  with  a  lasso,  and 
then  galloping  ofl*  with  the  poor  creature  hanging  at  the  end  of  the 
leather  cord,  or  by  flinging  the  celebrated  bolas — metal  balls  or  stones 
fastened  to  a  rope — at  the  Puma,  and  laying  it  senseless  on  the  ground 
with  a  blow  from  the  heavy  weapon. 

Many  of  the  members  of  the  large  genus  Leopardus  are  classed 
together  under  the  title  of  Ocelots,  or,  more  popularly,  of  Tiger  Cats. 
They  are  all  most  beautiful  animals,  their  fur  being  diversified  with 
brilliant  contrasts  of  a  dark  spot,  streak,  or  dash  upon  a  lighter  ground, 
and  their  actions  filled  with  easy  grace  and  elegance. 

The  Common  Ocelot  is  a  native  of  the  tropical  regions  of  America, 
where  it  is  found  in  some  profusion.  In  length  it  rather  exceeds  four 
feet,  of  which  the  tail  occupies  a  considerable  portion.  Its  height 
averages  eighteen  inches.  The  ground-color  of  the  fur  is  a  very  light 
grayish  fawn,  on  which  are  drawn  partially  broken  bands  of  a  very 


60 


THE  CHATI. 


deep  fawn  color,  edged  with  black,  running  along  the  line  of  the  body. 
The  band  that  extends  along  the  spine  is  unbroken.  On  the  head, 
neck,  and  the  inside  of  the  limbs  the  bands  are  broken  up  into  spots  and 
dashes,  which  are  entirely  black,  the  fawn  tint  in  their  centre  being 
totally  merged  in  the  deeper  hue  ;  the  ears  are  black,  with  the  exception 


The  Ocelot  {Leopardus  Furdalis). 
of  a  conspicuous  white  spot  upon  the  back  and  near  the  base  of  each 
ear.     Owing  to  the  beauty  of  the  fur,  the  Ocelot  skin  is  in  great  request 
for  home  use  and  exportation,  and  is  extensively  employed  in  the  manu- 
facture of  various  fancy  articles  of  dress  or  luxury. 

In  its  habits  the  Ocelot  is  quick,  active,  and  powerful,  proving  itself 
at  all  points  a  true  leopard,  although  but  in  miniature. 

The  eye  of  the  Ocelot  is  a  pale  yellowish  brown  and  tolerably  full 
with  the  Imear  pupil  smaller  than  is  found  in  the  ordinary  Felidie 

There  are  several  species  of  these  pretty  and  agile  animals,  among 
which  the  most  conspicuous  are  the  Common,  the  Gray,  and  Painted 
Ocelots,  and  the  Margay,  or  Marjay,  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  The 
habits  of  these  animals  are  very  similar. 

Although  so  gentle  in  its  demeanor  when  domesticated  as  to  have 
earned  for  itself  the  name  of  "ME.,"  or  "placid,"  the  Chati  is,  when 
wild,  a  sufficiently  destructive  animal.  It  is  not  quite  so  larae  as  the 
ocelots,  with  which  creatures  it  is  a  compatriot. 


HABITS  OF  THE  CHATI.  61 

The  color  of  the  Chati  resembles  that  of  the  leopard,  only  it  is  paler 
in  general  hue.  The  dark  patches  that  diversify  the  body  are  very 
irregular ;  those  which  run  along  the  back  are  solid  and  of  a  deep 
black,  while  those  which  are  placed  along  the  sides  have  generally  a 
deep  fawn-colored  centre.  Toward  the  extremity  of  the  tail  the  spots 
change  into  partial  rings,  which  nearly,  but  not  quite,  surround  the 
tail.  All  specimens,  however,  are  not  precisely  alike,  either  in  the  color 
or  the  arrangement  of  the  markings,  but  those  leading  characteristics 
which  have  just  been  mentioned  may  be  found  in  almost  every 
individual. 

When  at  large  in  its  native  woods,  it  wages  incessant  and  destructive 
warfare  against  small  quadrupeds  and  birds,  the  latter  creatures  being 
its  favorite  prey.  The  Chati  is  a  vexatious  and  expensive  neighbor  to 
any  one  who  may  keep  fowls,  for  it  seems  to  like  nothing  so  well  as  a 
plump  fowl,  and  is  unceasing  in  its  visits  to  the  henroost.  It  is  so  act- 
ive and  lithe  an  animal  that  it  can  climb  over  any  palisade  and  in- 
sinuate itself  through  a  surprisingly  small  aperture  ;  and  it  is  so  wary 
and  cautious  in  its  nocturnal  raids  that  it  generally  gives  no  other  in- 
dication of  its  movements  than  that  which  is  left  next  morning  by 
the  vacant  perches,  and  a  few  scattered  feathers  flecked  with  blood- 
spots. 

During  the  day  it  keeps  itself  closely  hidden  in  the  dark  shades  of 
the  forest,  sleeping  away  its  time  until  the  sun  has  set  and  darkness 
reigns  over  its  world.  It  then  awakes  from  its  slumber,  and  issues 
forth  upon  its  destructive  quest.  On  moonlight  nights,  however,  it 
either  stays  at  home  or  confines  its  depredations  to  the  limits  of  its  na- 
tive woods,  never  venturing  near  the  habitations  of  man.  Stormy  and 
windy  nights  are  the  best  adapted  for  its  purpose,  as  it  is  sheltered  from 
sight  by  the  darkness,  and  from  hearing  by  the  rushing  wind,  which 
drowns  the  slight  sounds  of  its  stealthy  footsteps.  On  such  nights  it 
behoves  the  farmer  to  keep  a  twofold  watch,  and  see  well  to  his  doors 
and  windows,  or  he  may  chance  to  find  an  empty  henroost  in  the 
morning. 

In  two  years  no  less  than  eighteen  of  these  animals  were  caught  by 
a  landowner  within  a  space  of  five  miles  round  his  farm,  so  that  their 
numbers  must  be  truly  great.  They  do  not  congregate  together,  but 
live  in  pairs,  each  pair  seeming  to  appropriate  its  own  hunting- 
ground. 

In  captivity  it  is  a  singularly  gentle,  and  even  aflfectionate,  animal, 
possessed  of  most  engaging  habits  and  full  of  pretty,  graceful  tricks. 
One  of  these  creatures,  which  was  captured  by  the  above-mentioned 
landowner,  became  so  entirely  domesticated  that  it  was  permitted  to 
range  at  liberty.  But  although  so  gentle  and  tractable  toward  its 
owner  that  it  would  sleep  on  the  skirts  of  its  master's  gown,  its  poul- 


v^ 


62 


THE   WILD  CAT. 


try-lovins  habits  were  too  deeply  implaured  to  be  thoroughly  eradi- 
cated and  it  was  quietly  destructive  among  his  neighbors*  fowls.  This 
propensitv  cost  the  creature  its  life,  for  the  irritated  farmers  caught 
it  iu  the  verv  deed  of  robbing  their  henroosts,  and  killed  it  ou  the  spot. 


The  Wiij>  Cat    Fdis  Catus). 

The  native  name  for  the  Ciiati  is  Chibiguazu.  It  was  found  by  ex- 
perimenting on  the  captured  Chatis  that  the  flec?h  of  eats  and  of  vari- 
ous reptiles  was  harmful  to  their  constitution.  Cats'  flesh  gave  them  a 
kind  of  mange,  which  sov)n  killed  them,  while  that  of  snakes,  vipei-s, 
and  loads  caused  a  continual  and  violent  vomiting,  under  which  they 
lost  flesh  and  died.  Fowls,  however,  and  most  birds,  were  ravenously 
devoureil,  being  caught  by  the  head  and  killed  by  a  bite  and  a  shake. 
The  Chatis  always  stripped  the  feathers  from  the  birds  before  begin- 
ning to  eat  them. 

Few  of  the  Felidse  are  so  widely  spread  or  so  generally  known  as 
the  Wild  Cat.  It  is  found  not  only  in  this  country,  but  over  near- 
ly the  whole  of  Europe,  and  has  been  seen  in  Northern  Asia  and 
Nepaul. 

Whether  the  Wild  Cat  be  the  original  progenitor  of  our  Domestic 
Cat  is  still  a  mooted  point,  and  likely  to  remain  so,  for  there  is  no  small 
difficulty  in  bringing  proofs  to  bear  on  such  a 
subject.  There  are  several  ])oints  of  distinction 
between  the  Wild  and  the  Domestic  Cat,  one  of 
the  most  decided  differences  being  found  iu  the 
shape  and  comparative  length  of  their  tails. 

As  maybe  seen  from  the  accompanying  figure, 
the  tails  of  the  two  animals  are  easily  distinguish- 
The  upper  figure  represents  the  tail  of  the  Do- 


Cats'   Tails. 
ed  from  each  other. 
mestic  Cat,  which  is 


long,  slender,  and  tapering,  while  the  lower  rep- 


THE  DOMESTIC  CAT  AND  THE  COMMON  LYNX, 


63 


resents  the  tail  of  the  Wild  Cat,  which  is  much  shorter  and  more 
bushy. 

In  the  eyes  of  any  one  who  nas  really  examined  and  can  support  the 
character  of  the  Domestic  Cat,  she  must  appear  to  be  a  sadly  calum- 
niated creature.  She  is  generally 
contrasted  with  the  dog,  much  to 
her  disfavor.  His  docility,  affec- 
tionate disposition,  and  forgiveness 
of  injuries,  his  trustworthy  cha- 
racter, and  his  wonderful  intel- 
lectual powers,  are  spoken  of,  as 
truly  they  deserve,  with  great  en- 
thusiasm and  respect.  But  these 
amiable  traits  of  character  are 
brought  into  violent  contrast  with 
sundry    ill-conditioned    qualities  ^he  Cat  {Feli,  domesiica). 

which  are  attributed  to  the  Cat,  and  wrongly  so.  The  Cat  is  held  up 
to  reprobation  as  a  selfish  animal,  seeking  her  own  comfort  and  disre- 
gardful  of  others,  attached  only  to  localities,  and  bearing  no  real  affec- 
tion for  her  owners.  She  is  said  to  be  sly  and  treacherous,  hiding  her 
talons  in  her  velvety  paws  as  long  as  she  is  in  a  good  temper,  but  ready 
to  use  them  upon  her  best  friends  if  she  is  crossed  in  her  humors. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  experience  of  those  who  gave  so  slan- 
derous a  character  to  the  Cat,  my  own  rather  wide  acquaintance  with 
this  animal  has  led  me  to  very  different  conclusions.  The  Cats  with 
which  I  have  been  most  familiar  have  been  as  docile,  tractable,  and 
good-tempered  as  any  dog  could  be,  and  displayed  an  amount  of  in- 
tellectual power  \Yhich  would  be  equalled  by  very  few  dogs,  and  sur- 
passed by  none. 

Returning  once  more  to  the  savage  tribe  of  animals,  we  come  to  a 
small  but  clearly-marked  group  of  Cats,  which  are  distinguishaLle  from 
their  feline  relations  by  the  sharply-pointed  erect  ears,  decorated  with 
a  tuft  of  hair  of  varying  dimensions.  These  animals  are  popularly 
known  by  the  title  of  Lynxes.  In  all  the  species  the  tail  is  rather 
short,  and  in  some,  such  as  the  Peeshoo,  or  Canada  Lynx,  it  is  ex- 
tremely abbreviated. 

By  name,  if  not  by  sight,  the  Common  Lynx  of  Europe  is  familiar 
to  us,  and  is  known  as  the  type  of  a  quick-sighted  animal.  The  eyes 
of  "the  Lynx  and  the  ears  of  the  "  Blind  Mole"  are  generally  placed  on 
a  par  with  each  other  as  examples  of  especial  acuteness  of  either  sense. 

The  European  Lynx  is  spread  over  a  great  portion  of  the  Conti- 
nent, being  found  in  a  range  of  country  which  extends  from  the  Pyre- 
nees to  Scandinavia.  It  is  also  found  in  the  more  northern  forests  of 
Asia. 


64  THE  CANADA  LYNX. 

Tlie  usual  color  of  the  Lynx  is  a  rather  dark  gray,  washed  with  red, 
ou  which  are  placed  sundry  dark  patches,  large  and  few  upon  the  body, 


The  European  Lynx  {Lyncus  vmjatus). 
and  many  and  small  upon  the  limbs.  On  the  body  the  spots  assume 
an  oblong  or  oval  shape,  but  upon  the  limbs  they  are  nearly  circular. 
The  tail  of  the  Lynx  is  short,  being  at  the  most  only  seven  or  eight 
inches  in  length,  and  sometimes  extending  only  six  inches.  The  length 
of  the  body  and  head  is  about  three  feet. 

The  fur  of  the  Lynx  is  valuable  for  the  purposes  to  which  the  feline 
skin  is  usually  destined,  and  commands  a  fair  price  in  the  market. 
Those  who  hunt  the  Lynx  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  its  fur  choose 
the  winter  mouths  for  the  time  of  their  operations,  as  during  the  cold 
season  the  Lynx  possesses  a  richer  and  a  warmer  fur  than  is  found  upon 
it  during  the  warm  summer  months. 

The  New  World  possesses  its  examples  of  the  Lyncine  group  as  well 
as  the  Old  World,  and  even  in  the  cold  regions  of  North  America  a 
representative  of  these  animals  may  be  found.  This  is  the  Canada 
Lynx,  commonly  termed  the  "Peeshoo"  by  the  French  colonists,  or 
even  dignified  with  the  title  of  Le  Chat. 

The  hair  of  this  animal  is  longer  than  that  of  its  southern  relatives, 
and  is  g.';ierally  of  a  dark  gray,  flecked  or  besprinkled  with  black. 
Large  and  indistinct  patches  of  the  fur  are  of  a  sensibly  darker  tint 
than  tlie  generality  of  its  coat.  Most  of  the  hairs  are  white  at  their 
extremities,  which  will  account  for  the  apparent  changes  in  color  which 
will  be  seen  even  in  the  same  species  at  different  times.  In  some  speci- 
mens the  fur  takes  a  slight  tinge  of  ruddy  chestnut,  the  limbs  are  darker 
than  the  rest  of  the  body,  and  the  ears  are  slightly  tinged  with  white. 
It  is  probable  that  the  same  individual  undergoes  considerable  changes, 
both  in  the  color  and  length  of  its  fur,  according  to  the  time  of  year. 

The  limbs  of  this  Lynx  are  very  powerful,  and  the  thick,  heavily- 
made  feet  are  furnished  with  strong  white  claws  that  are  not  seen   un- 


THE  CHETAH. 


65 


less  the  fur  be  put  aside.  It  is  not  a  dangerous  animal,  and,  as  far  as 
is  known,  feeds  on  the  smaller  quadrupeds,  the  American  hare  being 
its  favorite  article  of  diet. 

While  running  at  speed  it  presents  a  singular  appearance,  owing  to 
its  peculiar  mode  of  leaping  in  successive  bounds,  with  its  back  slightly 


The  Canada  Lynx  {Lyncus  Canademis). 

arched,  and  all  the  feet  coming  to  the  ground  nearly  at  the  same  time. 
It  is  a  good  swimmer,  being  able  to  cross  the  water  for  a  distance  of 
two  miles  or  more.  Powerful  though  it  be,  it  is  easily  killed  by  a  blow 
on  the  back,  a  slight  stick  being  a  sufficient  weapon  wherewith  to  de- 
stroy the  animal.  The  flesh  of  the  Peeshoo  is  eaten  by  the  natives, 
and  is  said,  though  devoid  of  flavor,  to  be  agreeably  tender.  The 
range  of  this  animal  is  rather  extensive,  and  in  the  wide  district  where 
it  takes  up  its  residence  is  found  in  sufficient  plenty  to  render  its  fur  an 
important  article  of  commerce.  The  length  of  this  animal  slightly  ex- 
ceeds three  feet. 

The  Chetah,  Youze,  or  Hunting  Cat,  as  it  is  indifferently  named, 
is,  like  the  leopard,  an  inhabitant  of  Asia  and  Africa.  It  is  rather  a 
large  animal,  exceeding  an  ordinary  leopard  in  stature. 

The  title  "jubata,"  or  "crested,"  is  given  to  the  Chetah  on  account 
of  a  short,  mane-like  crest  of  stiff*  long  hairs  which  passes  from  the  back 
of  the  head  to  the  shoulders. 

6  *  E 


GQ 


CUNNING  OF  THE  CHETAH. 


The  Chetah  is  one  of  those  animals  which  gain  their  living  by  min- 
gletl  craft  and  agility.  Its  chief  food  is  obtained  from  the  various  deer 
and  antelopes  which  inhabit  the  same  country,  and  in  seizing  and  slay- 
ing its  prey  no  little  art  is  required.  The  speed  of  this  animal  is  not 
ve'ry  great,  and  it  lias  but  little  endurance  ;  so  that  an  antelope  or  a 


The  Chetah  (Guepardajubata). 

stag  could  set  the  spotted  foe  at  defiance,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
place  itself  beyond  his  reach.  But  it  is  the  business  of  the  Chetah  to 
hinder  the  active  and  swift-footed  deer  from  obtaining  those  invaluable 
fifteen  minutes,  and  to  strike  them  down  before  they  are  aware  of  his 
presence. 

In  order  to  obtain  this  end,  the  Chetah  watches  for  a  herd  of  deer  or 
antelopes,  or  is  content  to  address  himself  to  the  pursuit  of  a  solitary  in- 
dividual, or  a  little  band  of  two  or  three  should  they  be  placed  in  a 
position  favorable  for  his  purpose.  Crouching  upon  the  ground  so  as 
to  conceal  himself  as  much  as  possible  from  the  watchful  eyes  of  the 
intended  prey,  the  Chetah  steals  rapidly  and  silently  upon  them,  never 
venturing  to  show  himself  until  he  is  within  reach  by  a  single  spring. 
Having  singled  out  one  individual  from  the  herd,  the  Chetah  leaps 
upon  the  devoted  animal  and  dashes  it  to  the  ground.  Fastening  his 
strong  grip  in  the  throat  of  the  dying  animal,  the  Chetah  laps  the  hot 
blood,  and  for  the  while  seems  forgetful  of  time  or  place. 


USE  OF  THE   CHETAH   IN   HUNTING.  67 

Of  these  curious  habits  the  restless  and  all-adapting  mind  of  man  has 
taken  advantage,  and  has  diverted  to  his  own  service  the  -wild  destructive 
properties  of  theChetah.  In  fact,  man  has  established  a  kind  of  quad- 
rupedal falconry,  the  Chetah  taking  the  place  of  the  hawk,  and  the 
chase  being  one  of  earth  and  not  of  air.  The  Asiatics  have  brought 
this  curious  chase  to  great  perfection,  and  are  able  to  train  Chetahs  for 
this  purpose  in  a  wonderfully  perfect  manner. 

When  a  Chetah  is  taken  out  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  game,  he  is 
hooded  and  placed  in  a  light  native  car,  in  company  with  his  keepers. 
When  they  perceive  a  herd  of  deer  or  other  desirable  game,  the  keep- 
ers turn  the  Chetah's  head  in  the  proper  direction,  and  remove  the 
hood  from  his  eyes.  The  sharp-sighted  animal  generally  perceives 
the  prey  at  once ;  but  if  he  fails  so  to  do,  the  keepers  assist  him  by 
quiet  gestures. 

No  sooner  does  the  Chetah  fairly  perceive  the  deer  than  his  bands 
are  loosened,  and  he  gently  slips  from  the  car.  Employing  all  his  in- 
nate artifices,  he  approaches  the  game,  and  with  one  powerful  leap 
flings  himself  upon  the  animal  which  he  has  selected.  The  keepers 
now  hurry  up,  and  take  his  attention  from  the  slaughtered  animal  by 
offering  him  a  ladleful  of  its  blood,  or  by  placing  before  him  some  food 
of  which  he  is  especially  fond,  such  as  the  head  and  neck  of  a  fowl. 
The  hood  is  then  slipped  over  his  head,  and  the  blinded  animal  is  con- 
ducted, patient  and  unresisting,  to  the  car,  where  he  is  secured  until 
another  victim  may  be  discovered. 

The  natural  disposition  of  this  pretty  creature  seems  to  be  gentle 
and  placid,  and  it  is  peculiarly  susceptible  of  domestication.  It  has 
been  so  completely  trained  as  to  be  permitted  to  wander  where  it 
chooses  like  a  domestic  dog  or  cat,  and  is  quite  as  familiar  as  that  an- 
imal. Even  in  a  state  of  semi-domestication  it  is  sufficiently  gentle. 
One  sleek  and  well-conditioned  specimen  with  which  I  made  acquaint- 
ance behaved  in  a  very  friendly  manner,  permitting  me  to  pat  its  soft 
sides  or  stroke  its  face,  and  uttering  short  self-sufficient  sounds,  like  the 
magnified  purr  of  a  gratified  cat.  Unfortunately,  the  acquaintance 
was  rudely  broken  up  by  an  ill-conditioned  Frenchman,  who  came  to 
the  front  of  the  cage,  and  with  his  stick  dealt  the  poor  animal  a  severe 
thrust  in  the  side.  The  Chetah  instantly  lost  its  confident  expression, 
and  was  so  irritated  by  this  rough  treatment  that  it  would  not  permit 
a  repetition  of  the  former  caresses. 

Some  time  ago,  while  engaged  in  examining  the  larger  Felidse,  I 
wished  to  investigate  the  structure  of  the  Chetah's  foot,  some  persons 
having  said  that  its  claws  were  retractile  like  those  of  the  cat,  while 
others  stated  that  they  were  constructed  like  those  of  the  dog.  So  I 
went  into  the  Chetahs'  cage  at  the  Zoological  Gardens,  and  rather  to 
the  surprise  of  the  animals.     Thinking  that  the  Cat  tribe  were  toler- 


<78  HYENAS. 

ably  alike  in  disposition,  and  supposing  that  if  I  went  up  to  either  of 
them  they  would  be  alarmed,  I  sat  down  with  ray  back  against  the 
wall,  and  quietly  waited,  taking  no  notice  whatever  of  the  Chetahs. 

In  a  short  time  the  curiosity  of  the  cat-nature  overcame  distrust ; 
the  two  Chetahs  came  closer  and  closer,  until  at  last  the  male,  who  was 
larger  and  stronger  than  his  mate,  began  to  sniifat  ray  hand  with  out- 
stretched neck.  Finding  that  no  harra  ensued,  he  came  a  little  closer, 
and  I  began  to  stroke  his  nose  lightly.  This  he  rather  liked,  and  be- 
fore long  I  was  able  to  stroke  his  head,  chin,  neck,  and  back,  the  ani- 
mal being  as  pleased  as  a  cat  would  have  been.  Presently  he  came 
and  sat  down  by  me,  and  I  then  got  from  his  neck  to  his  legs,  just  as 
Rarey  used  to  "  gentle  "  a  horse. 

The  next  move  was  to  lift  up  his  foot  and  put  it  down  again,  and 
then,  taking  hold  lightly  of  his  wrist,  to  press  the  fore-finger  on  the 
base  of  the  claws  so  as  to  press  them  from  their  sockets.  This  rather 
startled  him,  and  with  a  sharp  hissing  sound  he  struck  smartly  for- 
ward. As  he  struck  I  slipped  my  hanrl  up  his  leg,  so  that  the  blow 
was  ineffectual,  and  presently  made  another  attempt.  He  now  found 
out  that  no  harra  was  intended,  and  in  a  very  short  tirae  I  had  his  paw 
on  niy  knee,  and  was  allowed  to  push  out  the  claws  as  I  liked,  proving 
that  they  were  as  retractile  as  those  of  a  cat.  The  oddest  part  of  the 
proceeding  was  that  he  appropriated  me  to  himself,  and  would  not  al- 
low his  mate  to  come  near  nie,  exemplifying  the  jealousy  of  all  ani- 
mals when  brought  into  contact  with  raau. 

The  spots  which  so  profusely  stud  the  body  and  lirabs  are  nearly 
round  in  their  form  and  black  in  their  tint.  Excepting  upon  the  fiice, 
there  seem  to  be  no  stripes  like  those  of  the  tiger,  but  upon  each  side 
of  the  face  there  is  a  bold  black  streak  which  runs  from  the  eye  to  the 
corner  of  the  raouth.  The  hair  about  the  throat,  chest,  and  flanks  is 
rather  long,  and  gives  a  very  determinate  look  to  the  animal. 

The  Chetah  is  known  as  an  inhabitant  of  many  parts  of  Asia,  in- 
cluding India,  Sumatra,  and  Persia,  while  in  Africa  it  is  found  in  Sen- 
egal and  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

HYENAS. 

The  group  of  animals  which  are  so  well  known  by  the  title  of  Hy- 
7!<:nas  are,  although  raost  repulsive  to  the  view  and  most  disgusting  in 
their  habits,  the  very  saviours  of  life  and  health  in  the  countries  where 
they  live,  and  where  there  is  necessity  for  their  existence.  In  this 
land,  and  at  the  present  day,  there  is  no  need  of  such  large  animals  as 
the  Hycenas  to  perform  their  necessary  and  useful  task  of  clearing  the 
earth  from  the  decaying  carcases  which  cumber  its  surface  and  poison 
Its  air,  for  in  our  utilitarian  age  even  the  very  hairs  from  a  cow's  hide 


THE  STRIPED  HY^NA. 


69 


are  turned  to  account,  and  the  driest  bones  are  made  to  subserve  many 
uses. 

In  those  countries,  as  well  as  in  our  own,  there  are  carnivorous  and 
flesh-burying  insects,  which  consume  the  smaller  animal  substances;  but 
the  rough  work  is  left  to  those  industrious  scavengers  the  Hyaenas, 
which  content  themselves  with  the  remains  of  large  animals. 

In  the  semi-civilized  countries  of  Africa  and  Asia,  the  Hysena  is  a 
public  benefactor,  swallowing  with  his  accommodating  appetite  almost 
every  species  of  animal  substance  that  can  be  found,  and  even  crush- 
ing to  splinters  between  his  iron  jaws  the  bones  which  would  resist  the 
attacks  of  all  other  carnivorous  animals. 

Useful  as  is  the  Hysena  when  it  remains  within  its  proper  bound- 
aries and   restricts   itself  to  its  proper  food,  it  becomes  a  terrible  pest 


The  Striped  Hy^na  [Hycena  striata). 

when  too  numerous  to  find  suflicient  nourishment  in  dead  carrion.  In- 
cited by  hunger,  it  hangs  on  the  skirts  of  villages  and  encampments, 
and  loses  few  opportunities  of  making  a  meal  at  the  expense  of  the  in- 
habitants. It  does  not  openly  oppose  even  a  domestic  ox,  but  endeav- 
ors to  startle  its  intended  prey,  and  cause  it  to  take  to  flight  before  it 
will  venture  upon  an  attack.  In  order  to  alarm  the  cattle  it  has  a  cu- 
rious habit  of  creeping  as  closely  as  possible  to  them,  and  then  spring- 
ing up  suddenly  just  under  their  eyes.  Should  the  startled  animals 
turn  to  flee,  the  Hyaena  will  attack  and  destroy  them,  but  if  they 
should  turn  to  bay  will  stand  still  and  venture  no  farther.  It  will  not 
even  attack  a  knee-haltered  horse.  So  it  often  happens  that  the  Hy- 
aena destroys  the  healthy  cattle  which  can  run  away,  and  is  afraid  to 
touch  the  sickly  and  maimed  beasts  which  cannot  flee,  and  are  forced 
to  stand  at  bay. 

The  Striped  Hy.ena  is  easily  to  be  distinguished  from  its  relations 


70 


THE  SPOTTED   HYAENA. 


by  the  peculiar  streaks  from  which  it  derives  its  name.  The  general 
color  of  the  fur  is  a  grayish  brown,  diversified  with  blackish  stripes, 
which  run  along  the  ribs  and  upon  the  limbs.  A  large  singular  black 
patch  extends  over  the  front  of  the  throat,  and  single  black  hairs  are 
profusely  scattered  among  the  fur.  When  young,  the  stripes  are  more 
apparent  than  in  the  adult  age,  and  the  little  animal  has  something  of 
a  tigrine  aspect  about  its  face. 

In  proportion  to  its  size,  the  Hyaena  possesses  teeth  and  jaws  of 
extraordinary  strength,  and  between  their  tremendous  fangs  the  thigh- 
bones of  an  ox  fly  in  splinters  with  a  savage  crash  that  makes  the 
spectator  shudder. 

The  muzzle  is  but  short,  and  the  rough  thorn-studded  tongue  is  used, 
like  that  of  the  feline  groups,  for  rasping  every  vestige  of  flesh  from 
the  bones  of  the  prey. 

The  Spotted  Hy^na — or  Tiger  Wolf,  as  it  is  generally  called — is, 
for  a  Hysena,  a  fierce  and  dangerous  animal,  invading  the  sheeplblds 


The  Spotted  Hy^na  {Crocuta  maculata). 
and  cattlepens  under  the  cover  of  darkness,  and  doing  in  one  night 
more  mischief  than  can  be  remedied  in  the  course  of  years. 

The  spots,  or  rather  the  blotches,  with  which  its  fur  is  marked,  are 
rather  scanty  upon  the  back  and  sides,  but  upon  the  legs  are  much 
more  clearly  marked,  and  are  set  closer  together.  The  paws  are  nearly 
black.  ^  -^ 


THE  CIVET.  71 

The  Tiger  Wolf  is  celebrated  for  the  strauge  unearthly  sounds  which 
it  utters  when  under  the  influence  of  strong  excitement.  The  animal 
is  often  called  the  "  Laughing  Hysena  "  on  account  of  the  maniacal, 
mirthless,  hysterical  laugh  which  it  pours  forth,  accompanying  this 
horrid  sound  with  the  most  absurd  gestures  of  body  and  limbs.  During 
the  time  that  the  creature  is  engaged  in  uttering  these  wild,  fearful  peals 
of  laughter,  it  dances  about  in  a  state  of  ludicrously  frantic  excitement, 
running  backward  and  forward,  rising  on  its  hind  legs,  and  rapidly 
gyrating  on  those  members,  nodding  its  head  repeatedly  to  the  ground, 
and,  in  fine,  performing  the  most  singular  antics  with  wonderful 
rapidity. 

CIVETS. 

The  Civet,  sometimes,  but  wrongly,  called  the  Civet  Cat,  is  a  native 
of  Northern  Africa,  and  is  found  plentifully  in  Abyssinia,  where  it  is 
eagerly  sought  on  account  of  the  peculiarly  scented  substance  which 
is  secreted  in  certain  glandular  pouches.  This  Civet  perfume  was 
formerly  considered  as  a  most  valuable  medicine,  and  could  only  be 
obtained  at  a  very  high  price ;  but  in  the  present  day  it  has  nearly 
gone  out  of  fashion  as  a  drug,  and 
holds  its  place  in  commerce  more 
as  a  simple  perfume  than  as  a 
costly  panacea. 

The  substance  which  is  so  prized 
on  account  of  its  odoriferous  qual- 
ities is  secreted  in  a  double  pouch, 
which   exists  under  the  abdomen.  The  Ciyi:t  {Viverra  Oivetta). 

close  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail.  As  this  curious  production  is  of 
some  value  in  commerce,  the  anin)al  which  furnishes  the  precious 
secretion  is  too  valuable  to  be  killed  for  the  sake  of  its  scent-pouch, 
and  is  kept  in  a  state  of  captivity,  so  as  to  afford  a  continual  supply 
of  the  odoriferous  material. 

The  claws  of  the  Civet  are  only  partially  retractile.  The  eyes  are  of 
a  dull  brown,  very  protuberant,  and  with  a  curiously  changeable  pupil, 
which  by  day  exhibits  a  rather  broad  linear  pupil,  and  glows  at  night 
with  a  brilliant  emerald  refulgence.  The  body  is  curiously  shaped, 
being  considerably  flattened  on  the  sides,  as  if  the  animal  had  been 
pressed  between  two  boards. 

Altogether,  the  Civet  is  a  very  handsome  animal,  the  bold  dashing 
of  black  and  white  upon  its  fur  having  a  very  rich  effect.  The  face 
has  a  curious  appearance,  owing  to  the  white  fur  which  fringes  the 
lips,  and  the  long  pure  white  whisker  hairs  of  the  lips  and  eyes. 
When  young  it  is  almost  wholly  black,  with  the  exception  of  the 
white  whisker  hairs  and  the  white  fur  of  the  lips. 


THE  BLOTCHED  GENETT  AND  THE  CACOMIXLE. 


GENETTS. 

A  small  but  rather  important  group  of  the  Viverrine  animals  is  that 
tlio  members  of  which  are  known  by  the  name  of  the  Genetts. 
These  creatures  are  all  nocturnal  in  their  habits,  as  are  the  civets,  and, 
like  those  animals,  can  live  on  a  mixture  of  animal  and  vegetable 
food,  or  even  on  vegetable  food  alone.  The  Genetts  possess  the  musk- 
secreting  apparatus,  which  much  resembles  the  pouch  of  the  Civet, 
although  in  size  it  is  not  so  large,  nor  does  it  secrete  so  powerfully 
smelling  a  substance  as  that  of  the  civets.  The  secreting  organ,  al- 
though it  resembles  a  pouch,  is  not  so  in  reality,  being  simply  com- 
posed of  two  glands,  united  to  each  other  by  a  strip  of  skin. 

The  best  known  of  these  animals  is  the  Common  or  Blotched 
Genett,  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Africa  and  of  various  other  parts 
of  the  world,  being  found  even  in  the  South  of  France.  It  is  a  very 
beautiful  and  graceful  animal,  and  never  fails  to  attract  attention  from 
an  observer.  The  general  color  of  the  fur  is  gray,  with  a  slight  ad- 
mixture of  yellow.  Upon  this  groundwork  dark  patches  are  lavishly 
scattered,  and  the  full,  furry  tail  is  covered  with  alternate  bands  of 

black  and  white. 
The  muzzle  would 
be  entirely  black 
but  for  a  bold 
patch  of  white  fur 
on  the  upper  lip, 
and  a  less  deci- 
dedly white  mark 
by  the  nose.  The 
feet  are  supplied 
with  retractile 
claws,  so  that  the 
animal  can  deal  a 
severe  blow  with 
its  outstretched 
talons,  or  climb 
trees  with  the 
same  ease  and  ra- 
pidity which  is 
found  in  the  cat 
tribe. 

Very  different  from  the  Genetts  in  its  appearance  is  the  Cacomixle, 
although  it  is  closely  allied  to  them. 

It  is  remarkable  as  being  a  Mexican  representative  of  the  Genett 


The  Blotched  Genett  {Genetla  Tigr 


THE  ICHNEUMONS.  73 

group  of  animals,  although  it  can  hardly  be  considered  as  a  true  Genett 
or  a  true  Moongus.  The  color  of  this  animal  is  a  light  uniform  dun,  a 
dark  bar  being  placed  like  a  collar  over  the  back  of  the  neck.  In  some 
specimens  this  bar  is  double,  and  in  all  it  is  so  narrow  that  when  the 
animal  throws  its  head  backward  the  dark  line  is  lost  in  the  lighter  fur. 


The   Cacomixle  {Bassams  Astuta). 

Along  the  back  runs  a  broad,  singular,  darkish  stripe.  The  tail  is 
ringed  something  like  that  of  the  Ringed  Lemur,  and  is  very  full. 
The  term  "  Cacomixle  "  is  a  Mexican  word,  and  the  animal  is  some- 
times called  by  a  still  stranger  name,  "Tepemaxthalon."  The  scientific 
title,  "  Bassaris,"  is  from  the  Greek,  and  signifies  "  a  fox." 

ICHNEUMONS. 

The  Ichneumons  appear  to  be  the  very  reptiles  of  the  mammalian 
animals,  in  form,  habits,  and  action  irresistibly  reminding  the  spectator 
of  the  serpent.  The  sharp  and  pointed  snout,  narrow  body,  short  legs, 
and  flexible  form  permit  them  to  insinuate  themselves  into  marvellously 
small  crevices,  and  to  seek  and  destroy  their  prey  in  localities  where  it 
might  well  deem  itself  secure. 

The  common  Ichneumon — or  Pharaoh's  Rat,  as  it  is  popularly  but 
most  improperly  termed — is  plentifully  found  in  Egypt,  where  it  plays 
a  most  useful  part  in  keeping  down  the  numbers  of  the  destructive 
quadrupeds  and  dangerous  reptiles.  Small  and  insignificant  as  this 
animal  appears,  it  is  a  most  dangerous  foe  to  the  huge  crocodile,  feed- 
ing largely  upon  its  eggs,  and  thus  preventing  the  too  rapid  increase  of 
7 


74 


THE  COMMON  ICHNEUMON. 


these  fierce  and  fertile  reptiles.  Snakes,  rats,  lizards,  mice,  and  various 
birds  fall  a  prey  to  this  Ichneumon,  which  will  painfully  track  its  prey 
to  its  hiding-place,  and  wait  patiently  for  hours  until  it  makes  its  appear- 
ance, or  will  quietly  creep  up  to  the  unsuspecting  animal,  and,  flinging 
itself  boldly  upon  it,  destroy  it  by  rapid  bites  with  its  long  sharp  teeth. 


The  IcHxNEUMON  (Ilerpestes  Ichneumon). 

Taking  advantage  of  these  admirable  qualities  the  ancient  Egyptians 
were  wont  to  tame  the  Ichneumon  and  admit  it  to  the  free  range  of  their 
houses,  and  on  account  of  its  habits  paid  it  divine  honors  as  an  out-' 
ward  emblem  of  the  Deity,  considered  with  regard  to  his  sin-destroying 
mercy. 

Although  the  diminutive  size  of  this  creature  renders  it  an  impotent 
enemy  to  so  large  and  well-mailed  a  reptile  as  the  crocodile,  yet  it 
causes  the  destruction  of  innumerable  crocodiles  annually  by  break- 
ing and  devouring  their  eggs.  The  egg  of  the  crocodile  is  extremely 
small  when  the  size  of  the  adult  reptile  is  taken  into  consideration,  so 
tliat  the  Ichneumon  can  devour  several  of  them  at  a  meal. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  a  brown,  plentifully  grizzled  with  gray, 
each  hair  being  ringed  alternately  with  gray  and  brown.  The  total 
length  of  the  animal  is  about  three  feet  three  inches,  the  tail  measur- 
ing about  eighteen  inches.  The  scent-gland  of  the  Ichneumon  is  very 
large  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  its  bearer,  but  the  substance  which  it 


THE  MOONGUS  AND  THE  CRYPTOPROCTA.  75 

secretes  has  not  as  yet  been  held  of  any  commercial  value.  The  claws 
are  partially  retractile. 

The  word  "  Ichneumon  "  is  Greek,  and  literally  signifies  "  a  tracker." 

The  MooNGUS,  sometimes  called  the  Indian  Ichneumon,  is  in  its 
Asiatic  home  as  useful  an  animal  as  the  Egyptian  Ichneumon  in  Africa.. 
In  that  country  it  is  an  indefatigable  destroyer  of  rats,  mice,  and  the 
various  reptiles,  and  is  on  that  account  highly  valued  and  protected. 
Being,  as  are  Ichneumons  in  general,  extremely  cleanly  in  manners, 
and  very  susceptible  of  domestication,  it  is  kept  tame  in  many  families, 
and  does  good  service  in  keeping  the  houses  clear  of  the  various  an- 
imated pests  that  render  an  Indian  town  a  disagreeable,  and  sometimes 
a  dangerous,  residence. 

In  its  customs  it  very  much  resembles  the  cat,  and  is  gifted  with  all 
the  inquisitive  nature  of  that  animal.  When  first  introduced  into  a  new 
locality  it  runs  about  the  place,  insinuating  itself  into  every  hole  and 
corner,  and  snifiing  curiously  at  every  object  with  which  it  comes  in 
contact.  Even  in  its  wild  state  it  exliibits  the  same  qualities,  and  by 
a  careful  observer  may  be  seen  questing  about  in  search  of  its  food, 
exploring  every  little  tuft  of  vegetation  that  comes  in  its  way,  running 
over  every  rocky  projection,  and  thrusting  its  sharp  snout  into  every 
hollow.  Sometimes  it  buries  itself  entirely  in  some  little  hole,  and 
when  it  returns  to  light  drags  with  it  a  mole,  a  rat,  or  some  such  crea- 
ture, which  had  vainly  sought  security  in  its  narrow  domicile. 

While  eating,  the  Ichneumon  is  very  tetchy  in  its  temper,  and  will 
very  seldom  endure  an  interruption  of  any  kind.  In  order  to  secure 
perfect  quiet  while  taking  its  meals,  it  generally  carries  the  food  into 
the  most  secluded  hiding-place  that  it  can  find,  and  then  commences 
its  meal  in  solitude  and  darkness.  The  color  of  the  Moongus  is  a  gray, 
liberally  flecked  with  darker  hairs,  so  as  to  produce  a  very  pleasing 
mixture  of  tints.  It  is  not  so  large  an  animal  as  its  Egyptian  rela- 
tive. 

The  last  of  the  great  Viverrine  group  of  animals  is  the  Crypto- 
PROCTA,  a  creature  whose  rabbit-like  mildness  of  aspect  entirely  belies 
its  nature. 

It  is  a  native  of  Madagascar,  and  has  been  brought  from  the  south- 
ern portions  of  that  wonderful  island.  It  is  much  to  be  wished  that 
the  zoology  of  so  prolific  a  country  should  be  thoroughly  explored,  and 
that  competent  naturalists  should  devote  much  time  and  severe  labor 
to  the  collection  of  specimens,  and  the  careful  investigation  of  animals 
while  in  their  wild  state. 

Gentle  and  quiet  as  the  animal  appears,  it  is  one  of  the  fiercest  lit- 
tle creatures  known.  Its  limbs,  though  small,  are  very  powerful,  their 
muscles  being  extremely  full  and  well  knit  together.  Its  appetite  for 
blood  seems  to  be  as  insatiable  as  that  of  the  tiger,  and  its  activity  is 


76     THE  GKEYHOUND  AND  THE  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

very  great,  so  that  it  may  well  be  iniagiued  to  be  a  terrible  foe  to  any 
animals  on  whom  it  may  choose  to  make  an  attack.  For  this  savage 
nature  it  has  received  the  name  of  "Ferox,"  or  "fierce."  Its  generic 
name  of  Cryptoprocta  is  given  to  it  on  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  hinder  quarters  suddenly  taper  down  and  merge  themselves  in  the 
tail.  The  word  itself  is  from  the  Greek,  the  former  half  of  it  sigui- 
lying  "hidden,"  and  the  latter  half  "hind-quarters." 

The  color  of  the  Cryptoprocta  is  a  light  brown,  tinged  with  red.  The 
ears  are  very  large  and  rounded,  and  the  feet  are  furnished  with  strong 
claws.     The  toes  are  five  in  number  on  each  foot. 


DOGS. 

The  large  and  important  group  of  animals  which  is  known  by  the 
general  name  of  the  I^og  Tribe  embraces  the  wild  and  domesticated 
Dogs,  the  Wolves,  Foxes,  Jackals,  and  that  curious  South  African  an- 
imal, the  Hunting  Dog.  Of  these  creatures,  several  have  been  brought 
under  the  authority  of  man,  and  by  continual  intermixtures  have  as- 
sumed that  exceeding  variety  of  form  which  is  found  in  the  different 
"  breeds  "  of  the  domestic  Dog. 

The  original  parent  of  the  Dog  is  very  doubtful,  some  authors  con- 
sidering that  it  owes  its  parentage  to  the  Dhole,  or  the  Buansuah  of 
India,  others  thinking  it  to  be  an  offspring  of  the  Wolf,  and  others  at- 
tributing to  the  Fox  the  honor  of  being  the  progenitor  of  our  canine 
friend  and  ally. 

All  the  various  Dogs  which  have  been  brought  under  the  subjection 
of  man  are  evidently  members  of  one  single  species,  Caiiis  familiar  is, 
being  capable  of  variation  to  an  almost  unlimited  extent. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  an  animal  which  is  more  entirely 
formed  for  speed  and  endurance  than  a  Mell-bred  Greyhound. 

The  chief  use— if  use  it  can  be  termed — of  the  Greyhound  is  in 
coursing  the  hare,  and  it  exhibits  in  this  chase  its  marvellous  swiftness 
and  its  endurance  of  fatigue. 

The  narrow  head  and  sharp  nose  of  the  Greyhound,  useful  as  they 
are  for  aiding  the  progress  of  the  animal  by  removing  every  imped- 
nnent  to  its  passage  through  the  atmosphere,  yet  deprive  it  of  a  most 
valuable  faculty,  that  of  chasing  by  scent.  The  muzzle  is  so  narrow 
in  proportion  to  its  length  that  the  nasal  nerves  have  no  room  for 
proper  development,  and  hence  the  animal  is  very  deficient  in  its 
powers  of  scent.  The  same  circumstance  may  be  noted  in  many 
other  animals. 

The  large  and  handsome  animal  which  is  called,  from  its  native 
country,  the  Newfoundland  Dog,  belongs  to  the  group  of  spaniels, 
all  of  which  appear  to  be  possessed  of  considerable  mental  powers, 


THE   NEWFOUNDLAND. 


77 


and   to  be  capable  of  instruction  to  a  degree  that  is  rarely  seen  in 
animals. 

As  is  the  case  with  most  of  the  large  Dogs,  the  Newfoundland  per- 
mits the  lesser  Dogs  ta  take  all  kinds  of  liberties  without  showing  the 
least  resentment,  and  if  it  is  worried  or  pestered  by  some  forward  puppy 


The  Greyhound  {Canis famUiaris). 

looks  down  with  calm  contempt  and  passes  on  its  way.  Sometimes  the 
little  conceited  animal  presumes  upon  the  dignified  composure  of  the 
Newfoundland  Dog,  and  in  that  case  is  sure  to  receive  some  quaint 
punishment  for  its  insolence.  The  story  of  the  big  Dog  that  dropped 
the  little  Dog  into  the  water  and  then  rescued  it  from  drowning  is  so 
well  known  that  it  needs  but  a  passing  reference.  But  I  know  of  a  Dog, 
belonging  to  one  of  my  friends,  which  behaved  in  a  very  similar  man- 
ner. Being  provoked  beyond  all  endurance  by  the  continued  annoy- 
ance, it  took  the  little  tormentor  in  its  mouth,  swam  well  out  to  sea, 
dropped  it  in  the  water,  and  sw'am   back  again. 

Another  of  the  animals,  belonging  to  a  workman,  was  attacked  by  a 
small  and  pugnacious  bull-dog,  which  sprang  upon  the  unoffending 
canine  giant,  and,  after  the  manner  of  bull-dogs,  "  pinned  "  him  by 
the  nose,  and  there  hung,  in  spite  of  all  endeavors  to  shake  it  off. 
However,  the  big  Dog  happened  to  be  a  clever  one,  and,  spying  a  pail- 
ful of  boiling  tar,  he  bolted  toward  it,  and  deliberately  lowered  his  foe 
into  the  pail.     The  bull-dog  had  never  calculated  on  such  a  reception, 

7* 


78        POMERANIAN  FOX   DOG  AND  THE  FIELD  SPANIEL. 

and  made  its  escape  as  fast  as  it  could  run,  bearing  with  it  a  scaldiiij 
memento  of  the  occasi(m. 


The  Newfoundland  Dog  {CanisfamiUaris). 

Of  late  years  a  Dog  has  come  into  fashion  as  a  house-dog  or  as  a 
companion.  This  is  the  Pomeranian  Fox  Dog,  commonly  known  as 
the  "  Loup-loup." 

It  is  a  great  favorite  with  those  who  like  a  dog  for  a  companion  and 
not  for  mere  use,  as  it  is  very  intelligent  in  its  character,  and  very  hand- 
some in  aspect.  Its  long  white  fur  and  bushy  tail  give  it  quite  a  dis- 
tinguished appearance,  of  which  the  animal  seems  to  be  thoroughly 
aware.  Sometimes  the  coat  of  this  animal  is  a  cream  color,  and  very 
rarely  is  deep  black.  The  pure  white,  however,  seems  to  be  the  favor- 
ite. It  is  a  lively  little  creature,  and  makes  an  excellent  companion  in 
a  country  walk. 

Of  tlie  Spaniel  Dogs  there  are  several  varieties,  which  may  be 
classed  under  two  general  heads— namely,  Sporting  and  Toy  Spaniels, 
the  former  being  used  by  the  sportsman  in  finding  game  for  him,  and 
the  latter  being  simply  employed  as  companions. 

The  Field  Spaniel  is  remarkable  for  the  intense  love  which  it 
bears  for  hunting  game,  and  the  energetic  manner  in  which  it  carries 
out  the  wishes  of  its  master.  There  are  two  breeds  of  Field  Spaniels, 
the  (me  termed  the  **  Springer"  being  used  for  heavy  work  among 
thick  and  thorny  coverts,  and  the  other  being  principally  employed 
in  woodcock-shooting,  and  called  in  consequence  the  "  Cocker."     The 


THE  MALTESE  DOG  AND  THE   POODLE. 


79 


Blenheim   and   King   Charles   Spaniels  derive  their  origin  from  the 
Cocker. 

While  hunting,  the  Spaniel  sweeps  its  feathery  tail  rapidly  from  side 
to  side,  and  is  a  very  pretty  object  to  any  one  who  has  an  eye  for  baauty 
of   movement.     It   is  a   rule   that, 
however  spirited  a  Spaniel  may  be, 
it  must  not  raise  its  tail  above  the 
level  of  its  back. 

A  very  celebrated  but  extremely 
rare  "  toy "  Dog  is  the  Maltese 
Dog,  the  prettiest  and  most  lov- 
able of  all  the  little  pet  Dogs. 

The  hair  of  this  tiny  creature  is 
very  long,  extremely  silky,  and  al- 
most unique  in  its  glossy  sheen,  so 
beautifully  fine  as  to  resemble  spun 
glass.  In  proportion  to  the  size  of  S 
the  animal,  the  fur  is  so  long  that 
when  it  is  in  rapid  movement  the 
real  shape  is  altogether  lost  in  the 
streaming  mass  of  flossy  hair.  One 
of  these  animals,  which  barely  ex- 
ceeded three  pounds  in  weight,  meas- 
ured no  less  than  fifteen  inches  in 
leno^th  of  hair  across  the  shoulders. 


The  Pomeranian   Dog  {Canh  famili- 
aris). 


The  tail  of  the  Maltese  Dog  curls  strongly  over  the  back,  and  adds  its 
wreath  of  silken  fur  to  the  already  superfluous  torrent  of  glistening 
tresses. 

As  the  name  implies,  it  was  originally  brought  from  Malta.  It  is  a 
very  scarce  animal,  and  at  onetime  was  thought  to  be  extinct;  but 
there  are  still  sp?cimens  to  be  obtained  by  those  who  have  no  ob- 
jection to  pay  the  price  which  is  demanded  for  these  pretty  little  crea- 
tures. 

Of  all  the  domesticated  Dogs  the  Poodle  seems  to  be,  take  him  all 
in  all,  the  most  obedient  and  the  most  intellectual.  Accomplishments 
the  most  difiicult  are  mastered  by  this  clever  animal,  which  displays  an 
ease  and  intelligence  in  its  performances  that  appear  to  be  far  beyond 
the  ordinary  canine  capabilities. 

A  barbarous  custom  is  prevalent  of  removing  the  greater  portion  of 
the  Poodle's  coat,  leaving  him  but  a  rufl*  round  the  neck  and  legs, 
and  a  puff*  on  the  tip  of  the  tail,  as  the  sole  relic  of  his  abundant  fur. 

Such  a  deprivation  is  directly  in  opposition  to  the  natural  state  of 
the  Dog,  which  is  furnished  with  a  peculiarly  luxuriant  fur,  hanging 
in  long  ringlets  from  every  portion  of  the  head,  body,  and  limbs.    The 


80 


THE  MEXICAN  LAPDOG. 


Poodle  is  not  the  only  Dog  that  suffers  a  like  tonsorial  abridgment 
of  coat ;  for  under  the  dry  arches  of  the  many  bridges  that  cross  the 
Seine,  in  Paris,  may  be  daily  seen  a  mournful  spectacle.  Numerous 
dogs  of  every  imaginable  and  unimaginable  breed  lie  helpless  in  the 
shade  of  the  arch,  their  legs  tied  together,  and  their  eyes  contemplating 


The  Irish  Water  Spaniel  {Canis  famili<tris). 

with  woeful  looks  the  struggles  of  their  fellows,  who  are  being  shorn 
of  their  natural  covering,  and  protesting  with  mournful  cries  against 
the  operation. 

The  very  tiniest  of  the  dog  family  is  the  Mexican  Lapdog,  a  crea- 
ture so  very  minute  in  its  dimensions  as  to  appear  almost  fabulous  to 
those  who  have  not  seen  the  animal  itself 

One  of  these  little  canine  pets  is  to  be  seen  in  the  British  Museum, 
and  always  attracts  much  attention  from  the  visitors.  Indeed,  if  it 
were  not  in  so  dignified  a  locality,  it  would  be  generally  classed  with 
the  mermaid,  the  flying  serpent,  and  the  Tartar  lamb  as  an  admirable 
example  of  clever  workmanship.  It  is  precisely  like  those  white  wool- 
len toy  Dogs  which  sit  upon  a  pair  of  bellows,  and  when  pressed  give 
forth  a  nondescript  sound  intended  to  do  duty  for  the  legitimate  canine 
Imrk.  To  say  that  it  is  no  larger  than  these  toys  would  be  hardly  true, 
for  I  have  seen  in  the  shop- windows  many  a  toy  Dog  which  exceeded 
in  size  the  veritable  Mexican  Lapdog. 

The  magnificent  animal  which  is  termed  the  Bloodhound,  on  ac- 


THE  BLOODHOUND. 


81 


count  of  its  peculiar  facility  for  tracking  a  wounded  animal  through 
all  the  mazes  of  its  devious  course,  is  very  scarce  in  England,  as  there 
is  now  but  little  need  of  these  Dogs. 

In  the  "  good  old  times  "  this  animal  was  largely  used  by  thief-takers, 
for  the  purpose  of  tracking  and  securing  the  robbers  who  in  those  days 
made  the  country  unsafe  and  laid  the  roads  under  a  black-mail.  Sheep- 
stealers,  who  were  much  more  common  when  the  offence  was  visited  with 
capital  punishment,  were  frequently  detected  by  the  delicate  nose  of  the 
Bloodhound,  which  would,  when  once  laid  on  the  scent,  follow  it  up  with 


The  Bloodhound  {(Janis  familiaris) 


unerring  precision,  unravelling  the  single  trail  from  among  a  hundred 
crossiug  footsteps,  and  only  to  be  baffled  by  water  or  blood. 

The  Bloodhound  is  generally  irascible  in  temper,  and  therefore  a 
rather  dangerous  animal  to  be  meddled  with  by  any  one  excepting  its 
owner.  So  fierce  is  its  desire  for  blood,  and  so  utterly  is  it  excited  when 
it  reaches  its  prey,  that  it  will  often  keep  its  master  at  bay  when  he  ap- 
proaches, and  receive  his  overtures  witli  such  unmistakable  indications 
of  anger  that  he  will  not  venture  to  approach  until  his  Dog  has  satis- 
fied its  appetite  on  the  carcase  of  the  animal  which  it  has  brought  to 
the  ground.  When  fairly  on  the  track  of  the  deer,  the  Bloodhound 
utters  a  peculiar,  long,  loud,  and  deep  bay,  which,  if  once  heard,  will 
never  be  forgotten. 

The  color  of  a  good  Bloodhound  ought  to  be  nearly  uniform,  no 
white  being  permitted,  except  on  the  tip  of  the  tail.     The  prevailing 


82 


THE  FOXHOUND  AND  THE  POINTER. 


tiDt  is  a  blackish  tan  or  a  deep  fawn.     The  tail  of  this  Dog  is  long 
and  sweeping. 

Of  all  the  Dogs  which  are  called  by  the  common  title  of  * 
the   Foxhound  is  the  best  known.     It  is  supposed  ihat  the 


bound," 
modern 


The  Foxhound  ( Cam's  familiansj 
Foxhound  derives  its  origin  from  the  old  English  hound,  and  its 
various  points  of  perfection  from  judicious  crosses  with  other  breeds. 
For  example,  in  order  to  increase  its  speed  the  greyhound  is  made  to 
take  part  in  its  pedigree,  and,  the  greyhound  having  already  some  ad- 
mixture of  the  bull-dog  blood,  there  is  an  infusion  of  stubbornness  as  well 
as  of  mere  speed. 

According  to  the  latest  authorities,  the  best  average  height  for  Fox- 
hounds is  from  twenty-one  to  twenty-five  inches,  the  female  being  gen- 
erally smaller  than  the  male.  However,  the  size  of  the  Dog  does  not 
matter  so  much ;  but  it  is  expected  to  match  the  rest  of  the  pack  in 
height  as  well  as  in  general  appearance. 

There  are  two  breeds  of  the  Pointer — namely,  the  modern  English 
Pointer  and  the  Spanish  Pointer.  The  latter  of  these  Dogs  is  now  sel- 
dom used  in  the  field,  as  it  is  too  slow  and  heavily  built  an  animal  for 
the  present  fast  style  of  sporting. 

The  modern  English  Pointer  is  a  very  different  animal,  built  on  a 
much  lighter  model,  and  altogether  with  a  more  bold  and  dashing  air 
about  it.  While  it  possesses  a  sufficiently  wide  muzzle  to  permit  the 
ievelopment  of  the  olfactory  nerves,  its  limbs  are  so  light  and  wiry 


CHARACTEKISTICS   OF   THE   POINTER. 


83 


that  it  can  match  almost  any  dog  in  speed.     Indeed,  some  of  these  an- 
imals are  known  nearly  to  equal  a  greyhound  in  point  of  swiftness. 

This  quality  is  specially  useful,  because  it  permits  the  sportsman  to 
walk  forward  at  a  moderate  pace,  while  his  Dogs  are  beating  over  the 
field  to  his  right  and  left.  The  sagacious  animals  are  so  obedient  to 
the  voice  and  gesture  of  their  master,  and  are  so  well  trained  to  act 
with  each  other,  that  at  a  wave  of  the  hand  they  will  separate,  one  go- 
ing to  the  right  and   the  other  to  the   left,  and  so  traverse  the  entire 


■3^  *^ 


The  Pointer  {Canis  familiar  in). 

field  in  a  series  of  "  tacks,"  to  speak  nautically,  crossing  each  other 
regularly  in  front  of  the  sportsman  as  he  walks  forward. 

When  either  of  them  scents  a  bird,  he  stops  suddenly,  arresting  even 
his  foot  as  it  is  raised  in  the  air,  his  head  thrust  forward,  his  body  and 
limbs  fixed,  and  his  tail  stretched  out  straight  behind  him.  This  atti- 
tude is  termed  a  "  point,"  and  on  account  of  this  peculiar  mode  of  in- 
dicating game  the  animal  is  termed  the  "  Pointer."  The  Dogs  are  so 
trained  that  when  one  of  them  comes  to  a  point  he  is  backed  by  his 
companion,  so  as  to  avoid  the  disturbance  of  more  game  than  is  neces- 
sary for  the  purpose  of  the  sportsman. 

The  most  useful  variety  of  the  canine  species  is  the  sagacious  crea- 
ture on  whose  talent  and  energy  depends  the  chief  safety  of  the 
flock. 

As  the  Sheep-dog  is  constantly  exposed  to  the  weather,  it  needs  the 


84 


THE  BULL-DOG. 


protection  of  very  thick  and  closely-set  fur,  which  in  this  Dog  is 
rather  woolly  in  its  character,  and  is  especially  heavy  about  the  neck 
and  breast. 

The  muzzle  of  this  Dog  is  sharp,  its  head  is  of  moderate  size,  its  eyes 
are  very  bright  and  intelligent,  as  might  be  expected  in  an  animal  of 
so  much  sagacity  and  ready  resource  in  time  of  need.  Its  feet  are 
strongly  made,  and  sufficiently  well  protected  to  endure  severe  work 
among  the  harsh  stems  of  the  heather  on  the  hills  or  the  sharply-cut- 
ting stones  of  the  high-road.  Probably  on  account  of  its  constant  ex- 
ercise in  the  open  air,  and  the   hardy  manner  in  which  it  is  brought 


The  Shepherd's  Dog  {Cards  familians). 

up,  the  Sheep-dog  is  perhaps  the  most  untiring  of  our  domesticated 
animals. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  Sheep-dog  cares  very  little  for  any  one  but 
his  master,  and,  so  hr  from  courting  the  notice  or  caresses  of  a  stran- 
ger, will  coldly  withdraw  from  them  and  keep  his  distance.  Even  with 
other  Dogs  he  rarely  makes  companionship,  contenting  himself  with 
the  society  of  his  master  alone. 

The  Bull-dog  is  said,  by  all  those  who  have  had  an  opportunity  of 
judgnig  Its  capabilities,  to  be,  with  the  exception  of  the  game-cock,  the 
most  courageous  animal  in  the  world. 

Its  extraordinary  courage  is  so  well  known  as  to  have  passed  into  a 
proverb,  and  to  have  so  excited  the  admiration  of  the  British  nation 


THE  BULL-DOG. 


85 


that  we  have  been  pleased  to  symbolize  our  peculiar  tenacity  of  pur- 
pose under  the  emblem  of  this  small  but  most  determined  animal.  In 
height  the  Bull-dog  is  but  insignificant,  but  in  strength  and  courage 
there  is  no  Dog  that  can  match  him.  Indeed,  there  is  hardly  any 
breed  of  sporting-dog  which  does  not  owe  its  high  courage  to  an  infu-- 


—  -<.^^^- 


The  Bull-Dog  {Canis  familiaris). 
sion  of  the  Bull-dog  blood ;  and  it  is  chiefly  for  this  purpose  that  the 
pure  breed  is  continued. 

It  is  generally  assumed  that  the  Bull-dog  must  be  a  very  dull  and 
brutish  animal,  because  almost  every  specimen  which  has  come  before 
the  notice  of  the  public  has  held  such  a  character. 

My  own  experience  does  not  at  all  coincide  with  this  notion.  I  once 
possessed  one  of  these  animals,  and  a  better  dog  I  never  had.  He  was 
gentle  almost  to  a  fault,  never  taking  offence  except  at  an  insult  by  a 
big  dog.  He  was  docile,  obedient,  and  wonderfully  intelligent,  a  good 
retriever,  and  one  of  the  most  accomplished  water-dogs  I  ever  saw. 
Active  and  broad-chested  as  a  greyhound,  his  leaping-powers  were  as- 
tonishing, and  his  brown  eyes  had  a  look  in  them  that  was  almost 
human. 

The  shape  of  this  remarkable  animal  is  worthy  of  notice.  The 
fore-quarters  are  particularly  strong,  massive,  and  muscular,  the  chest 
wide  and  roomy,  and  the  neck  singularly  powerful.  The  hind-quar- 
ters, on  the  contrary,  are  very  thin  and  comparatively  feeble,  all  the 
vigor  of  the  animal  seeming  to  settle  in  its  fore-legs,  chest,  and  head. 


86 


THE  MASTIFF. 


ludeed,  it  gives  the  spectator  an  impression  as  if  it  were  composed  of 
two  different  Dogs,  the  one  a  large  and  powerful  animal,  and  the  other 
d  weak  and  puny  quadruped,  which  had  been  put  together  by  mis- 
take. 

The  ]\Iastiff,  which  is  the  largest  and  most  powerful  of  the  indi- 
genous English  Dogs,  is  of  a  singularly  mild  and  placid  temper,  seem- 
ing to  delight  in  employing  its  great  powers  in  affording  protection  to 
the  weak,  whether  they  be  men  or  dogs. 

Yet,  with  all  this  nobility  of  its  gentle  nature,  it  is  a  most  determined 
and  courageous  animal  in  fight,  and  when  defending  its  master  or  his 


v-^^sx  ^ 


The  Old  English  Mastiff  {Canis  familiaris). 

property  becomes  a  foe  which  few  opponents  would  like  to  face.  These 
qualifications  of  mingled  courage  and  gentleness  adapt  it  especially  for 
the  service  of  watch-dog,  a  task  in  which  the  animal  is  as  likely  to  fail 
by  overweening  zeal  as  by  neglect  of  its  duty.  It  sometimes  happens 
that  a  watch-dog  is  too  hasty  in  its  judgment,  and  attacks  a  harmless 
stranger  on  the  supposition  that  it  is  resisting  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 
The  head  of  the  Mastiff  bears  a  certain  similitude  to  that  of  the 
bloodhound  and  the  bull-dog,  possessing  the  pendent  lips  and  squared 
muzzle  of  the  bloodhound,  with  the  heavy  muscular  development  of 
the  bull-dog.  The  under-jaw  sometimes  protrudes  a  little,  but  the 
teeth  are  not  left  uncovered  by  the  upper  lip,  as  is  often  the  case 
with  the  latter  auimai.     The  fur  of  the  Mastiff  is  alwavs  smooth,  and 


THE  TERRIER  87 

its  color  varies  between  a  uniform  reddish  fawn  and  different  brindlings 
and  patches  of  dark  and  white.  The  voice  is  peculiarly  deep  and  mel- 
low. The  height  of  this  animal  is  generally  from  twenty-five  to  twenty- 
eight  inches,  but  sometimes  exceeds  these  dimensions.  One  of  these 
Dogs  was  no  less  than  thirty-three  inches  in  height  at  the  shoulder, 
measured  fifty  inches  round  his  body,  and  weighed  a  hundred  and 
seventy-five  pounds. 

The  Terrier,  with  all  its  numerous  variations  of  crossed  and  mon- 
grel breeds,  is  more  generally  known  in  England  tliau  any  other  kind 
of  Dog.  Of  the  recognized  breeds,  four  are  generally  acknowledged — 
namely,  the  English  and  Scotch  Terriers,  the  Skye,  and  the  little  Toy 
Terrier. 

The  English  Terrier  possesses  a  smooth  coat,  a  tapering  muzzle,  a 
high  forehead,  a  bright  intelligent  eye,  and  a  strong  muscular  jaw.  As 
its  instinct  leads  it  to  dig  in  the  ground,  its  shoulders  and  fore-legs  are 
well  developed,  and  it  is  able  to  make  quite  a  deep  burrow  in  a  mar- 
vellously short  time,  throwing  out  the  loose  earth  with  its  feet,  and 
dragging  away  the  stones  and  other  large  substances  in  its  mouth. 
It  is  not  a  large  Dog,  seldom  weighing  more  than  ten  pounds,  and 
often  hardly  exceeding  the  moiety  of  that  weight. 

The  color  of  the  pure  English  Terrier  is  generally  black  and  tan,  the 
richness  of  the  two  tints  determining  much  of  the  animal's  value.  The 
nose  and  the  palate  of  the  Dog  ought  to  be  always  black,  and  over  each 
eye  a  small  patch  of  tan  color.  The  tail  ought  to  be  rather  long  and 
very  fine,  and  the  legs  as  light  as  is  consistent  with  strength. 

The  quaint-looking  Skye  Terrier  has  of  late  years  been  much  af- 
fected by  all  classes  of  dog-owners,  and  for  many  reasons  deserves  the 
popularity  which  it  has  obtained. 

When  of  pure  breed  the  legs  are  very  short,  and  the  body  extremely 
long  in  proportion  to  the  length  of  the  limb ;  the  neck  is  powerfully 
made,  but  of  considerable  length ;  and  the  head  is  also  rather  elon- 
gated, so  that  the  total  length  of  the  animal  is  three  times  as  great  as 
its  height.  The  "  dew-claws  "  are  wanting  in  this  variety  of  domestic 
Dog.  The  hair  is  long  and  straight,  falling  heavily  over  the  body  and 
limbs,  and  hanging  so  thickly  upon  the  face  that  the  eyes  and  nose  are 
hardly  perceptible  under  their  luxuriant  covering.  The  quality  of  the 
hair  is  rather  harsh  and  wiry  in  the  pure-bred  Skye  Terrier. 

The  size  of  this  animal  is  rather  small,  but  it  ought  not  to  imitate  the 
minute  proportions  of  many  "  toy  "  Dogs.  Its  weight  ought  to  range 
from  ten  to  seventeen  or  eighteen  pounds.  Even  amongst  these  an- 
imals there  are  at  least  two  distinct  breeds,  while  some  dog-fanciers 
establish  a  third. 

It  is  an  amusing  and  clever  Dog,  and  admirably  adapted  for  the 
companionship  of  mankind,  being  faithful  and  affectionate  in  disposi- 


88 


THE  JACKAL. 


tion,  and  as  brave  as  any  of  its  congeners,  except  that  epitome  of 
courao-e,  the  bull-dog.     Sometimes,  though  not  frequently,  it  is  em. 


^s^^^ 


Smooth  am)  bcouji  Tlrkiers  [Canis  familiaris). 

ployed  for  sporting  purposes,  and  is  said  to  pursue  that  vocation 
with  great  credit. 

There  are  several  species  of  the  Jackal,  one  of  which  will  be  noticed 
and  figured  in  this  work. 

The  Common  Jackal — or  Kholah,  as  it  is  termed  by  the  natives — 
is  an  inhabitant  of  India,  Ceylon,  and  neighboring  countries,  where  it  is 
found  in  very  great  numbers,  forcing  itself  upon  the  notice  of  the  trav- 
eller not  only  by  its  bodily  presence,  but  by  its  noisy  howding,  where- 
with it  vexes  the  ears  of  the  wearied  and  sleepy  wayfarer  as  he  en- 
deavors in  vain  to  find  repose.  Nocturnal  in  their  habits,  the  Jackals 
are  accustomed  to  conceal  themselves  as  much  as  possible  during  the 
daytime,  and  to  issue  out  on  their  hunting  expeditions  together  with 
the  advent  of  night. 

Always  ready  to  take  advantage  of  every  favorable  opportunity,  the 
Jackal  is  a  sad  parasite,  and  hangs  on  the  skirts  of  the  larger  carnivora 
as  they  roam  the  country  for  prey,  in  the  hope  of  securing  some  share 
of  the  creatures  which  they  destroy  or  wound.  On  account  of  this 
companionship  between  the  large  and  small  marauders,  the  Jackal 
has  popularly  gained  the  name  of  the  Lion's  Provider.  But,  in  due 
justice,  the  title  ought  to  be  reversed,  for  the  lion  is  in  truth  the  Jackal's 
provider,  and  is  often  thereby  deprived  of  the  chance  of  making  a 


WOLVES. 


89 


second  meal  on  an  animal  which  he  has  slain.  Sometimes,  it  is  said, 
the  Jackal  does  provide  the  Lion  with  a  meal  by  becoming  a  victim  to 
the  hungry  animal  in  default  of  better  and  more  savory  prey. 


Jackals  (O 


unis  aureus] 


The  name  of  "aureus,"  or  "golden,"  is  derived  from  the  yellowish 
tinge  of  the  Jackal's  fur.  In  size  it  rather  exceeds  a  large  fox,  but  its 
tail  is  not  proportionately  so  long  or  so  bushy  as  the  well-known 
"  brush  "  of  the  fox. 

WOLVES. 

Few  animals  have  earned  so  widely  popular  or  so  little  enviable  a 
fame  as  the  Wolves.  Whether  in  the  annals  of  history,  in  fiction,  in 
poetry,  or  even  in  the  less  honored  but  hardly  less  important  litera- 
ture of  nursery  fiibles,  the  Wolf  holds  a  prominent  position  among 
animals. 

There  are  several  species  of  Wolf,  each  of  which  species  is  divided 
into  three  or  four  varieties,  which  seem  to  be  tolerably  permanent,  and 
by  many  observers  are  thought  to  be  sufficiently  marked  to  be  consid- 
ered as  separate  species.  However,  as  even  the  members  of  the  same 
litter  partake  of  several  minor  varieties  in  form  and  color,  it  is  very 
possible   that  the  so-called  species  may  be  nothing  more  than  very 


yO  THE  COMMON  WOLF. 

distinctly-marked  varieties.  These  voracious  aud  dangerous  animals 
are  found  in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  whether  the  country 
which  they  infest  be  heated  by  the  beams  of  the  tropical  sun  or  frozen 
by  the  lengthened  winter  of  the  northern  regions.  •  Mountain  and  plain, 
forest  and  field,  jungle  and  prairie,  are  equally  infested  with  Wolves, 
which  possess  the  power  of  finding  nourishment  for  their  united  bands 


The  Wolf  iCanis  lupus). 

in  localities  where  even  a  single  predaceous  animal  might  be  peiplexed 
to  gain  a  livelihood. 

The  color  of  the  Common  Wolf  is  gray,  mingled  with  a  slight  tint- 
ing of  fawn,  and  diversified  with  many  black  hairs  that  are  interspersed 
among  the  lighter-colored  fur.  In  the  older  animals  the  gray  appears 
to  predominate  over  the  fawn,  while  the  fur  of  the  younger  Wolves  is 
of  a  warmer  fawn  tint.  The  under  parts  of  the  animal,  the  lower  jaw, 
and  the  edge  of  the  upper  lip  are  nearly  white,  while  the  interior  facing 
of  the  limbs  is  of  a  gray  tint.  Between  the  ears  the  head  is  almost 
entirely  gray,  and  without  the  mixture  of  black  hairs  which  is  found 
in  greatest  profusion  along  the  line  of  the  spine. 

When  hungry — and  the  Wolf  is  almost  always  hungry — it  is  a  bold 
and  dangerous  animal,  daring  almost  all  things  to  reach  its  prey,  and 
venturing  to  attack  large  and  powerful  animals,  such  as  the  buflfalo,  the 
elk,  or  the  wild  horse.  Sometimes  it  has  been  known  to  oppose  itself 
to  other  Carnivora,  and  to  attack  so  unpromising  a  foe  as  the  bear. 

It  is  by  no  means  nice  in  its  palate,  and  will  eat  almost  any  living 
animal,  from  human  beings  down  to  frogs,  lizards,  and  insects.  More- 
over, it  is  a  sad  cannibal,  and  is  thought  by  several  travellers  who  have 
noted  its  habits  to  be  especially  partial  to  the  flesh  of  its  own  kind. 
A.  weak,  sickly,  or  wounded  Wolf  is  sure  to  fall  under  the  cruel  teeth 
of  its  companions,  who  are  said  to  be  so  fearfully  ravenous  that  if  one 


FOXES. 


91 


of  their  companions  should  chance  to  besmear  himself  with  the  blood 
of  the  prey  which  has  just  been  hunted  down,  he  is  instantly  attacked 
and  devoured  by  the  remainder  of  the  pack. 

In   their  hunting  expeditions  the  Wolves  usually  unite  in  bands, 
larger  or  smaller  in  number  according  to  circumstances,  and  acting 


^» 


The  Wolf 


simultaneously  for  a  settled  purpose.  If  they  are  on  the  trail  of  a 
flying  animal,  the  footsteps  of  their  prey  are  followed  up  by  one  or  two 
of  the  Wolves,  while  the  remainder  of  the  band  take  up  their  positions 
to  the  right  and  left  of  the  leaders,  so  as  to  intercept  the  quarry  if  it 
should  attempt  to  turn  from  its  course.  Woe  be  to  any  animal  that  is 
unlucky  enough  to  be  chased  by  a  pack  of  Wolves !  No  matter  how 
swift  it  may  be,  it  will  most  surely  be  overtaken  at  last  by  the  long, 
slouching,  tireless  gallop  of  the  Wolves ;  and,  no  matter  what  may  be 
its  strength,  it  must  at  last  fail  under  the  repeated  and  constant  attacks 
of  the  sharp  teeth. 

According  to  some  systematic  naturalists,  the  Foxes  are  placed  in 
the  genus  Ca7iis,  together  with  the  dogs  and  the  wolves.  Those  em- 
inent zoologists,  however,  who  have  arranged  the  magnificent  collec- 
tions in  the  British  Museum  have  decided  upon  separating  the  Foxes 
from  the  dogs  and  wolves,  and  placing  them  in  the  genus  Vtilpes.     To 


92 


SCENT  OF  THE   FOX. 


this  decision  they  have  come  for  several  reasons,  among  which  may  be 
noted  the  shape  of  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  which  in  the  Foxes  is  elonga- 
ted, but  in  the  animals  which  compose  the  genus  Canis  is  circular. 
The  ears  of  the  Foxes  are  triangular  in  shape  and  pointed,  and  the 
tail  is  always  exceedingly  bushy. 

A  very  powerful  scent  is  poured  forth  from  the  Fox  in  consequence 
of  some  glands  which  are  placed  near  the  root  of  the  tail,  and  furnish 
the  odorous  secretion.  Glands  of  a  similar  nature,  but  not  so  well  de- 
veloped, are  found  in  the  wolves. 

It  is  by  this  scent  that  the  hounds  are  able  to  follow  the  footsteps 
of  a  flying  Fox,  and  to  run  it  down  by  their  superior  speed  and  endur- 
auce.     The  Fox,  indeed,  seems  to  be  aware  that  its  pursuers  are  guided 


The  Fox  {Vulpes  vulgaris). 

in  their  chase  by  this  odor,  and  puts  in  practice  every  expedient  that 
its  fertile  brain  can  produce  in  order  to  break  the  continuity  of  the 
scent  or  to  overpower  it  by  the  presence  of  other  odors  which  are  more 
powerful,  though  not  more  agreeable. 

Even  when  tamed  it  preserves  its  singular  cunning.  A  tame  Fox 
that  was  kept  in  a  stable-yard  had  managed  to  strike  up  a  friendship 
with  several  of  the  dogs,  and  would  play  with  them,  but  could  never 
mduce  the  cats  to  approach  him.  Cats  are  very  sensitive  in  their  nos- 
trils, and  could  not  endure  the  odor.  They  would  not  even  walk  upon 
any  spot  where  the  Fox  had  been  standing,  and  kept  as  far  aloof  as 
possible  from  him. 

The  crafty  animal  soon  perceived  that  the  cats  would  not  come  near 


BURROW  OF  THE  FOX. 


93 


hira,  and  made  use  of  his  knowledge  to  cheat  them  of  their  breakfast. 
As  soon  as  the  servant  poured  out  the  cats'  allowance  of  milk,  the  Fox 
would  run  to  the  spot  and  walk  about  the  saucer,  well  knowing  that 
none  of  the  rightful  owners  would  approach  the  defiled  locality.  Day 
after  day  the  cats  lost  their  milk,  until  the  stratagem  was  discovered 
and  the  milk  was  placed  in  a  spot  where  it  could  not  be  reached  by 
the  Fox. 

The  Fox  resides  in  burrows,  which  it  scoops  out  of  the  earth  by  the 
aid  of  its  strong  digging  paws,  taking  advantage  of  every  peculiarity 


The  Common  Fox. 

of  the  ground,  and  contriving,  whenever  it  is  possible,  to  wind  its  sub- 
terranean way  among  the  roots  of  large  trees  or  between  heavy  stones, 
lu  these  "earths,"  as  the  burrows  are  called  in  the  sportsman  phrase- 
ology, the  female  Fox  produces  and  nurtures  her  young,  which  are 
odd  little  snub-nosed  creatures,  resembling  almost  any  animal  rather 
than  a  Fox.  She  watches  over  her  offspring  with  great  care,  and  teaches 
them  by  degrees  to  subsist  on  animal  food,  which  she  and  her  mate 
capture  for  that  purpose. 

The  color  of  the  common  Fox  is  a  reddish  fawn,  intermixed  with 
black  and  white  hairs.  The  hair  is  long  and  thick,  being  doubly  thick 
during  the  colder  months  of  the  year,  so  that  the  fur  of  a  Fox  which 
is  killed  in  the  winter  is  more  valuable  than  if  the  animal  had  been 
slain  in  the  hot  months.  The  tail,  which  is  technically  termed  the 
"brush,"  is  remarkably  bushy,  and  partakes  of  the  tints  which  pre- 


94  THE  ARCTIC  FOX  AND  THE  FENNEC. 

dominate  over  the  body,  except  at  the  tip,  which  is  white.  The  height 
of  this  animal  is  about  a  foot,  and  its  length  about  two  feet  and  a  half, 
exclusive  of  the  tail. 

One  of  the  most  celebrated  species  of  the  Foxes  is  the  Arctic  Fox, 
called  by  the  Russians  Peszi,  and  by  the  Greenlanders  Terrienniak. 
This  animal  is  in  very  great  repute  in  the  mercantile  world  on  account 
of  its  beautiful  silky  fur,  which  in  the  cold  winter  months  becomes  per- 
fectly white.  During  the  summer  the  fur  is  generally  of  a  gray  or 
dirty  brown,  but  is  frequently  found  of  a  leaden  gray,  or  of  a  brown 
tint  with  a  wash  of  blue.  Toward  the  change  of  the  season  the  fur 
becomes  mottled,  and  by  reason  of  this  extreme  variableness  has  caused 
the  animal  to  be  known  by  several  different  titles.  Sometimes  it  is 
called  the  White  Fox,  sometimes  the  Blue  Fox,  sometimes  the  Sooty 
Fox,  sometimes  the  Pied  Fox,  and  sometimes  the  Stone  Fox. 

This  animal  is  found  in  Lapland,  Iceland,  Siberia,  Kamtschatka, 
and  North  America,  in  all  of  which  places  it  is  eagerly  sought  by  the 
hunters  for  the  sake  of  its  fur.  The  pure  white  coat  of  the  winter  sea- 
son is  the  most  valuable,  and  the  bluish-gray  fur  of  the  summer  months 
is,  next  to  the  white,  the  color  that  is  most  in  request. 

In  size  the  Arctic  Fox  is  not  the  equal  of  the  English  species,  weigh- 
ing only  eight  pounds  on  an  average,  and  its  total  length  being  about 
three  feet.  The  eye  is  of  a  hazel  tint,  and  very  bright  and  intelligent. 
It  lives  in  burrows,  which  it  excavates  in  the  earth  during  the  summer 
months,  and  prefers  to  construct  its  simple  dwellings  in  small  groups 
of  twenty  or  thirty. 

The  Fennec,  or  Zerda,  is  an  inhabitant  of  Africa,  being  found  in 
Nubia  and  Egypt.  It  is  a  very  pretty  and  lively  little  creature,  run- 
ning about  with  much  activity,  and  anon  sitting  upright  and  regarding 
the  prospect  with  marvellous  gravity.  The  color  of  the  Fennec  is  a 
very  pale  fawn  or  "  Isabel  "  color,  sometimes  being  almost  of  a  creamy 
whiteness.  The  tail  is  bushy,  and  partakes  of  the  general  color  of  the 
fur,  except  at  the  upper  part  of  the  base  and  the  extreme  tip,  which  are 
boldly  marked  with  black.  The  size  of  the  adult  animal  is  very  incon- 
siderable, as  it  measures  scarcely  more  than  a  foot  in  length,  exclusive 
of  the  bushy  tail,  which  is  about  eight  inches  long. 

It  is  said  that  the  Fennec,  although  it  is  evidently  a  carnivorous 
animal,  delights  to  feed  upon  various  fruits,  especially  preferring  the 
date.  Such  a  predilection  is  according  to  vulpine  and  canine  analogies, 
for  the  common  English  Fox  is  remarkably  fond  of  ripe  fruits,  such  as 
grapes  or  strawberries,  and  the  domestic  dog  is  too  often  a  depredator 
of  those  very  gardens  which  he  was  enjoined  to  keep  clear  from  robbers. 
But  that  the  animal  should  enjoy  the  power  of  procuring  that  food  in 
which  it  so  delights  is  a  very  extraordinary  circumstance,  and  one 
which  would  hardly  be  expected  from  a  creature  which  partakes  so 


THE   ASSE. 


95 


largely  of  the  vulpine  form  and  characteristics.  The  date-palm  is  a 
tree  of  a  very  lofty  growth,  and  the  rich  clusters  of  the  fruit  are  placed 
at  the  very  summit  of  the  bare,  branchless  stem.     Yet  the  Fennec  is  said 


Fennec  and  Octocyon. 

to  possess  the  capability  of  climbing  the  trunk  of  the  date-palm,  and  of 
procuring  for  itself  the  coveted  luxury. 

Like  the  veritable  Foxes,  the  Fennec  is  accustomed  to  dwell  in  sub- 
terranean abodes,  which  it  scoops  in  the  light  sandy  soil  of  its  native 
land. 

As  is  the  case  with  the  greater  number  of  predaceous  animals,  the 
Fennec  is  but  seldom  seen  during  the  daytime,  preferring  to  issue  forth 
upon  its  marauding  expeditions  under  the  friendly  cover  of  night.  Even 
when  it  has  spent  some  time  in  captivity,  it  retains  its  restless  nocturnal 
demeanor,  and  during  the  hours  of  daylight  passes  the  greater  portion 
of  its  time  in  semi-somnolence  or  in  actual  sleep. 

The  little  animal  which  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Asse,  or  the 
Caama,  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Africa,  and  is  in  great  request 
for  the  sake  of  its  skin,  which  furnishes  a  very  valuable  fur. 

It  is  a  terrible  enemy  to  ostriches  and  other  birds  which  lay  their 


96  WEASELS. 

eggs  in  the  ground,  and  is  in  consequence  detested  by  the  birds  whose 
nests  are  devastated.  The  ingenuity  of  the  Caama  in  procuring  the 
contents  of  an  ostrich's  egg  is  rather  remarkable.  ^  The  shell  of  the  egg 
is  extremely  thick  and  strong,  and,  as  the  Caama  is  but  a  small  animal, 
its  teeth  are  unable  to  make  any  impression  on  so  large,  smooth,  hard, 
and  rounded  an  object.  In  order,  therefore,  to  obviate  this  difficulty, 
the  cunning  animal  rolls  the  egg  along  by  means  of  its  fore-paws,  and 
pushes  it  so  violently  against  any  hard  substance  that  may  lie  conve- 
nieutlv  in  its  path,  or  against  another  egg,  that  the  shell  is  broken  and 
the  contents  attainable. 

The  fur  of  this  animal  is  highly  esteemed  by  the  natives  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  "  karosses,"  or  mantles.  As  the  Asse  is  one  of  the 
smallest  of  the  Foxes,  a  great  number  of  skins  is  needed  to  form  a 
single  mantle,  and  the  manufactured  article  is  therefore  held  in  high 
value  by  its  possessor.  Indeed,  so  valuable  is  its  fur  that  it  tempts 
manv  of  the  Bechuana  tribes  to  make  its  chase  the  business  of  their 
lives,  and  to  expend  their  whole  energies  in  capturing  the  animal  from 
whose  body  the  much-prized  fur  is  taken. 

The  continual  persecution  to  which  the  Caama  is  subjected  has  almost 
exterminated  it  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Cape  Town,  where  it  was 
formerly  seen  in  tolerable  plenty.  Gradually,  however,  it  retreats  more 
and  more  northward  before  the  tread  of  civilized  man,  and  at  the 
present  day  is  but  very  rarely  seen  within  the  limits  of  the  colony. 

WEASELS. 

Next  in  order  to  the  dogs  is  placed  the  large  and  important  family 
of  the  Weasels,  representatives  of  which  are  found  in  almost  every 
portion  of  the  earth.  There  is  something  marvellously  serpentine  in 
the  aspect  and  structure  of  the  members  of  this  family — the  Mustelidse, 
as  they  are  called,  from  the  Latin  word  Mustela,  which  signifies  "  a 
weasel."  Their  extremely  long  bodies  and  very  short  legs,  together 
with  the  astonishing  perfection  of  the  muscular  powers,  give  them  the 
capability  of  winding  their  little  bodies  into  the  smallest  possible 
crevices,  and  of  waging  successful  battle  with  animals  of  twenty  times 
their  size  and  strength. 

First  on  the  list  of  Weasels  are  placed  the  agile  and  lively  Martens, 
or  Marten-Cats,  as  they  are  sometimes  termed.  Two  species  of 
British  Martens  are  generally  admitted  into  our  catalogues,  although 
the  distinction  of  the  species  is  even  as  yet  a  mooted  point. 

The  Pine  Marten  is  so  called  because  it  is  generally  found  in  those 
localities  where  the  pine  trees  abound,  and  is  in  the  habit  of  climbing 
the  pines  in  search  of  prey.  It  is  a  shy  and  wary  animal,  withdrawing 
itself  as  far  as  possible  from  the  sight  of  man,  and,  although  a  fierce 


THE  PINE  MAKTEN. 


97 


and  dangerous  antagonist  when  brought  to  bay,  is  naturally  of  a  timid 
disposition,  and  shuns  collision  with  an  enemy. 

It  is  a  tree-loving  animal,  being  accustomed  to  traverse  the  trunks 
and  branches  with  wonderful  address  and  activity,  and  being  enabled 
by  its  rapid  and  silent  movements  to  steal  unnoticed  on  many  an  un- 
fortunate bird,  and  to  seize  it  in  its  deadly  gripe  before  the  startled 
victim  can  address  itself  to  flight.  It  is  a  sad  robber  of  nests,  rifling 
them  of  eggs  and  young,  and  not  unfrequently  adding  the  parent  bird 
to  its  list  of  victims. 

The  damage  which  a  pair  of  Martens  and  their  young  will  inflict 
upon  a  poultry-yard  is  almost  incredible.  If  they  can  only  gain  an 
entrance  into  the    fowl-house,  they  will   spare   but  very  few   of  the 


The  Pine  Maeten  {Martes  Ahietum). 

inhabitants.  They  will  carry  ofi"  an  entire  brood  of  young  chickens, 
eat  the  eggs,  and  destroy  the  parents. 

The  magpie's  nest  is  a  very  favorite  resort  of  the  Marten,  because 
its  arched  covering  and  small  entrance  afford  additional  security.  A 
boy  who  was  engaged  in  bird-nesting,  and  had  climbed  to  the  top  of  a 
lofty  tree  in  order  to  plunder  a  Magpie's  nest,  was  made  painfully 
sensible  of  an  intruder's  presence  by  a  severe  bite  which  was  inflicted 
upon  his  fingers  as  soon  as  he  inserted  his  hand  into  the  narrow 
entrance.  This  adventure  occurred  in  Belvoir  Park,  County  Down, 
in  Ireland. 

The  length  of  the  Pine  Marten  is  about  eighteen  inches,  exclusive 
of  the  tail,  which  measures  about  ten  inches.  The  tail  is  covered  with 
long  and  rather  bushy  hair,  and  is  slightly  darker  than  the  rest  of  the 
body,  which  is  covered  with  brown  hair.  The  tint,  however,  is  variable 
in  different  specimens,  and  even  in  the  same  individual  undergoes  con- 
siderable modifications,  according  to  the  time  of  year  and  the  part  of 
9  G 


98  THE  SABLE. 

the  world  in  which  it  is  found.  It  has  rather  a  wide  range  of  locality, 
being  a  native  of  the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  of  a  very  large 
portion  of  Northern  America. 

One  of  the  most  highly  valued  of  the  Weasels  is  the  celebrated 
Sable,  which  produces  the  richly-tinted  fur  that  is  in  such  great 
request.  Several  species  of  this  animal  are  sought  for  the  sake  of 
their  fur.  They  are  very  closely  allied  to  the  Martens  that  have 
already  been  described,  and  are  supposed  by  some  zoologists  to  belong 
to  the  same  species.     Besides  the  well-known  Maries  Zibellina,  a  North 

American  species  is  known,  to- 
gether with  another,  which  is  an 
inhabitant  of  Japan.  These  two 
creatures,  although  they  are  very 
similar  to  each  other  in  general 
aspect,  can  be  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  the  different  hue  of 

T^Sable  {Maries  ZihdUna).        J^f  ^  J^^^  ^°^  ^^f '  the  American 

Sable  being  tinged  with  white  upon 
those  portions  of  its  person,  and  the  corresponding  members  of  the 
Japanese  Sable  being  marked  with  black. 

The  Sable  is  spread  over  a  large  extent  of  country,  being  found  in 
Siberia,  Kamtschatka,  and  Asiatic  Russia.  Its  fur  is  in  the  greatest 
perfection  during  the  coldest  months  of  the  year,  and  offers  an  induce- 
ment to  the  hunter  to  brave  the  fearful  inclemency  of  a  northern 
winter  in  order  to  obtain  a  higher  price  for  his  small  but  valuable  com- 
modities. A  really  perfect  Sable-skin  is  but  seldom  obtained,  and  will 
command  an  exceedingly  high  price.  An  ordinary  skin  is  considered  to 
be  worth  from  five  to  thirty  or  thirty-five  dollars,  but,  if  it  should  be  of 
the  very  best  quality,  is  valued  at  sixty  or  seventy-five  dollars. 

In  order  to  obtain  these  much-prized  skins,  the  Sable-hunters  are 
forced  to  undergo  the  most  terrible  privations,  and  often  lose  their  lives' 
in  the  snow-covered  wastes  in  which  the  Sable  loves  to  dwell.  A 
sudden  and  heavy  snowstorm  will  obliterate  in  a  single  half  hour  every 
trace  by  which  the  hunter  had  marked  out  his  path,  and,  if  it  should 
be  of  long  continuance,  may  overwhelm  him  in  the  mountain  "  drifts  " 
which  are  heaped  so  strangely  by  the  fierce  tempests  that  sweep  over 
those  fearful  regions. 

The  Sables  take  up  their  abode  chiefly  near  the  banks  of  rivers  and 
in  the  thickest  parts  of  the  forests  that  cover  so  vast  an  extent  of 
territory  in  those  uncultivated  regions.  Their  homes  are  usually  made 
in  holes  which  the  creatures  burrow  in  the  earth,  and  are  generally 
made  more  secure  by  being  dug  among  the  roots  of  trees.  Sometimes, 
however,  they  prefer  to  make  their  nests  in  the  hollows  of  trees,  and 
there  they  rear  their  young.     Some  authors,  however,  deny  that  the 


THE  POLECAT. 


99 


Sable  inhabits  subterranean  burrows,  and  assert  that  its  nest  is  always 
made  in  a  hollow  tree.  The  nests  are  soft  and  warm,  being  composed 
chiefly  of  moss,  dried  leaves,  and  grass. 

The  Sables  are  taken  in  various  modes.  Sometimes  they  are  captured 
in  traps,  which  are  formed  in  order  to  secure  the  animal  without  damag- 
ing its  fur.  Sometimes  they  are  fairly  hunted  down  by  means  of  the 
tracks  which  their  little  feet  leave  in  the  white  snow,  and  are  traced  to 
their  domicile.  A  net  is  then  placed  over  the  orifice,  and  by  means  of 
a  certain  pungent  smoke  which  is  thrown  into  the  cavity,  the  inhabitant 
is  forced  to  rush  into  the  open  air,  and  is  captured  in  the  net.  The 
hunters  are  forced  to  support  themselves  on  the  soft  and  yielding 
surface  of  the  snow  by  wearing  "  snowshoes,"  or  they  would  be  lost  in 
the  deep  drifts,  which  are  perfectly  capable  of  supporting  so  light  and 
active  an  animal  as  the  Sable,  but  would  engulf  a  human  being  before 
he  had  made  a  second  step. 

It  now  and  then  happens  that  the  Sable  is  forced  to  take  refuge  in 
the  branches  of  a  tree,  and  in  that  case  it  is  made  captive  by  means  of 
a  noose  which  is  dexterously  flung  over  its  head. 

On  examining  the  fur  of  the  Sable,  it  will  be  seen  to  be  fixed  to  the 
skin  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  turn  with  equal  freedom  in  all  di- 
rections, and  lies  smoothly  in  whatever  position  it  may  be  pressed.  The 
fur  is  rather  long  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  animal,  and  extends 
down  the  limbs  to  the  claws.  The  color  is  a  rich  brown,  slightly 
mottled  with  white  about  the  head,  and  taking  a  gray  tinge  on  the 
neck. 

The  Polecat  has  earned  for  itself  a  most  unenviable  fame,  having 


The  Polecat  {Putorius  fcetidus). 

long  been  celebrated  as  one  of  the  most  noxious  pests  to  which  the 
farmyard  is  liable.     Slightly  smaller  than  the  marten,  and  not  quite  so 


100  PKEY  OF  THE  POLECAT. 

powerful,  it  is  found  to  be  a  more  deadly  eueray  to  rabbits,  game,  and 
poultry  than  is  any  other  animal  of  its  size. 

It  is  wonderfully  bold  when  engaged  upon  its  marauding  expeditions, 
and  maintains  an  impertinently  audacious  air  even  when  it  is  inter- 
cepted in  the  act  of  destruction.  Not  only  does  it  make  victims  of  the 
smaller  poultry,  such  as  ducks  and  chickens,  but  attacks  geese,  turkeys, 
and  otlier  larger  birds  with  perfect  readiness.  This  ferocious  little 
creature  has  a  terrible  habit  of  destroying  the  life  of  every  animal 
that  may  be  in  the  same  chamber  with  itself,  and  if  it  should  gain  ad- 
mission into  a  henhouse  will  kill  every  one  of  the  inhabitants,  although 
it  may  not  be  able  to  eat  the  twentieth  part  of  its  victims.  It  seems 
to  be  very  fond  of  sucking  the  blood  of  the  animals  which  it  destroys, 
and  appears  to  commence  its  repast  by  eating  the  brains.  If  several 
victims  should  come  in  its  way,  it  will  kill  them  all,  suck  their  blood, 
and  eat  the  brains,  leaving  the  remainder  of  the  body  untouched. 

This  animal  is  famous  not  only  for  its  bloodthirsty  disposition,  but 
for  the  horrid  odor  which  exhales  from  its  body,  and  which  seems  to 
be  partially  under  the  control  of  the  owner.  When  the  Polecat  is 
wounded  or  annoyed  in  any  way,  this  disgusting  odor  becomes  almost 
unbearable,  and  has  the  property  of  adhering  for  a  long  time  to  any 
substance  with  which  it  may  come  in  contact. 

The  Polecat  does  not  restrict  itself  to  terrestrial  game,  but  also  wages 
war  against  the  inhabitants  of  rivers  and  ponds.  PVogs,  toads,  newts, 
and  fish  are  among  the  number  of  the  creatures  that  fall  victims  to  its 
rapacity.  Even  the  formidably-defended  nests  of  the  wild  bees  are 
said  to  yield  up  their  honeyed  stores  to  the  fearless  attack  of  this  ra- 
pacious creature. 

As  to  rabbits,  hares,  and  other  small  animals,  the  Polecat  seems  to 
catch  and  devour  them  almost  at  will.  The  hares  it  can  capture  either 
by  stealing  upon  them  as  they  lie  asleep  in  their  "  forms,"  or  by  pa- 
tiently tracking  them  through  their  meanderings,  and  hunting  them 
down  fairly  by  scent.  The  rabbits  flee  in  vain  for  safety  into  their  sub- 
terranean strongholds,  for  the  Polecat  is  quite  at  home  in  such  local- 
ities, and  can  traverse  a  burrow  with  greater  agility  than  the  rabbits 
themselves.  Even  the  rats  that  are.  found  so  plentifully  about  the 
waterside  are  occasionally  pursued  into  their  holes  and  there  captured. 
Pheasants,  partridges,  and  all  kinds  of  game  are  favorite  prey  with 
Polecats,  which  secure  them  by  a  happy  admixture  of  agility  and  craft. 
So  very  destructive  are  these  animals  that  a  single  family  is  quite  suf- 
ficient to  depreciate  the  value  of  a  warren  or  a  covert  to  no  small  ex- 
tent. 

The  Polecat  is  a  tolerably  prolific  animal,  producing  four  or  five 
young  at  a  litter.  The  locality  which  the  mother  selects  for  the  nur- 
sery of  her  future  family  is  generally  at  the  bottom  of  a  burrow,  which 


THE  FEKRET  AND  THE  MINK.  101 

is  scooped  iii  light  and  dry  soil,  defended  if  possible  by  the  roots  of 
trees.  In  this  subterranean  abode  a  warm  nest  is  constructed,  composed 
of  various  dried  leaves  and  of  moss,  laid  with  singular  smoothness. 
The  young  Polecats  make  their  appearance  toward  the 'end  of  May  or 
the  beginning  of  June. 

The  Ferret  is  well  known  as  the  constant  companion  of  the  rat- 
catcher and  the  rabbit-hunter,  being  employed  for  the  purpose  of  fol- 


The  Ferret  [Mustela  Furo). 

lowing  its  prey  into  their  deepest  recesses,  and  of  driving  them  from 
their  strongholds  into  the  open  air,  when  the  pursuit  is  taken  up  by  its 
master.  The  mode  in  which  the  Ferret  is  employed  is  too  well  known 
to  need  a  detailed  description. 

It  is  a  fierce  little  animal,  and  is  too  apt  to  turn  upon  its  owner  and 
wound  him  severely  before  he  suspects  that  the  creature  is  actuated  by 
any  ill-intentions.  I  once  witnessed  a  rather  curious  example  of  the 
uncertainty  of  the  Ferret's  temper.  A  lad  who  possessed  a  beautiful 
white  Ferret  had  partially  tamed  the  creature,  and  thought  that  it  was 
quite  harmless.  The  Ferret  was  accustomed  to  crawl  about  his  person, 
and  would  permit  itself  to  be  caressed  almost  as  freely  as  a  cat.  But 
on  one  unfortunate  morning,  when  its  owner  was  vaunting  the  perform- 
ances of  his  protegee — for  it  was  a  female — the  creature  made  a  quiet 
but  rapid  snap  at  his  mouth,  and  drove  its  teeth  through  both  his 
lips,  making  four  cuts  as  sharply  defined  as  if  they  had  been  made 
with  a  razor. 

On  account  of  its  water-loving  propensities,  the  Mink  is  called  by 
various  names  that  bear  relation  to  water.  By  some  persons  it  is 
called  the  Smaller  Otter,  or  sometimes  the  Musk  Otter,  while  it  is 
kn@wn  to  others  under  the  title  of  the  Water-Polecat.  It  also  goes  by 
the  name  of  the  Nurek  Vison. 

The  Mink  is  spread  over  a  very  large  extent  of  country,  being  found 


102  THE  COMMON   WEASEL. 

in  the  most  northern  parts  of  Europe,  and  also  in  North  America. 
Its  fur  is  usually  brown,  with  some  white  about  the  jaws,  but  seems  to 
be  subject  to  considerable  variations  of  tinting.  Some  specimens  are 
of  a  much  paler  brown  than  others ;  in  some  individuals  the  fur  is 
nearly  black  about  the  head,  while  the  white  patch  that  is  found  on 
the  ciiin  is  extremely  variable  in  dimensions.  The  size,  too,  is  rather 
variable. 

It  frequents  the  banks  of  ponds,  rivers,  and  marshes,  seeming  to 
prefer  the  stillest  Avaters  in  the  autumn,  and  the  rapidly-flowing  cur- 
rents in  spring.  As  may  be  supposed  from  the  nature  of  its  haunts,  its 
food  consists  almost  wholly  of  fish,  frogs,  crawfish,  aquatic  insects,  and 
other  creatures  that  are  to  be  found  either  in  the  waters  or  in  their  close 
vicinity.  The  general  shape  of  its  body  is  not  quite  the  same  as  that  of 
the  marten  or  ferret,  and  assumes  something  of  the  otter  aspect.  The 
teeth,  however,  are  nearer  those  of  the  polecat  than  of  the  otter,  and  its 
tail,  although  not  so  fully  charged  with  hair  as  the  corresponding  mem- 
ber in  the  polecat,  is  devoid  of  that  muscular  power  and  tapering  form 
which  is  so  strongly  characteristic  of  the  otter.  The  feet  are  well 
adapted  for  swimming,  on  account  of  a  slight  webbing  between  the  toes. 

The  fur  of  this  animal  is  excellent  in  quality,  and  is  by  many  per- 
sons valued  very  highly.  By  the  furriers  it  passes  under  the  name  of 
"  Moenk,"  and  it  is  known  by  two  other  names, "  Tutucuri "  and  "  Noers." 
As  it  bears  a  great  resemblance  to  the  fur  of  the  sable,  it  is  often  fraud- 
ulently substituted  for  that  article— a  deception  which  is  the  more  to 
be  regretted,  as  the  fur  of  the  Mink  is  a  really  excellent  one,  handsome 
in  its  appearance,  and  extremely  warm  in  character.  By  some  authors 
the  identity  of  the  Mink  with  the  water-polecat  has  been  doubted,  but, 
as  it  appears,  without  sufficient  reason. 

There  is  hardly  any  animal  which,  for  its  size,  is  so  much  to  be 
dreaded  by  the  creatures  on  which  it  preys  as  the  Common  Weasel. 
Although  its  diminutive  proportions  render  a  single  Weasel  an  insig- 
nificant opponent  to  man  or  dog,  yet  it  can  wage  a  sharp  battle  even 
with  such  powerful  foes,  and  refuses  to  yield  except  at  the  last  necessity. 

The  proportions  of  the  Weasel  are  extremely  small,  the  male  being 
rather  larger  than  the  opposite  sex.  In  total  length,  a  full-grown  male 
does  not  much  exceed  ten  inches,  of  which  the  tail  occupies  more  than 
a  fifth,  while  the  female  is  rather  more  than  an  inch  shorter  than  her 
mate.  The  color  of  its  fur  is  a  bright  reddish  brow^n  on  the  upper 
parts  of  the  body,  and  the  under  portions  are  of  a  pure  white,  the  line 
of  demarcation  being  tolerably  well  defined,  but  not  very  sharply  cut. 

It  IS  a  terrible  foe  to  many  of  the  smaller  rodents,  such  as  rats  and 
mice,  and  performs  a  really  good  service  to  the  farmer  by  destroying 
many  of  these  farmyard  pests.  It  follows  them  wherever  they  may  be, 
and  mercdessly  destroys  them,  whether  they  have  taken  up  their  sum- 


ITS  MODE  OF  ATTACK.  103 

mer  abode  in  the  hedge-rows  and  river-banks,  or  whether  they  have  re- 
tired to  winter-quarters  among  the  barns  and  ricks.  Many  farmers  are 
in  the  habit  of  destroying  the  Weasels,  which  they  look  upon  as  "  ver- 
min," but  it  is  now  generally  thought  that,  although  the  Weasel  may 
be  guilty  of  destroying  a  chicken  or  duckling  now  and  then,  it  may  yet 
plead  its  great  services  in  the  destruction  of  mice  as  a  cause  of  acquittal. 
The  Weasel  is  specially  dreaded  by  rats  and  mice,  because  there  is  no 
hole  through  which  either  of  these  animals  can  pass  which  will  not  quite 
as  readily  suffer  the  passage  of  the  Weasel ;  and,  as  the  Weasel  is  most 
determined  and  pertinacious  in  pursuit,  it  seldom  happens  that  rats  or 
mice  escape  when  their  little  foe  has  set  itself  fairly  on  their  track. 

The  Weasel  has  been  seen  to  catch  and  to  kill  a  bunting  by  creeping 
quietly  toward  a  thistle  on  which  the  bird  was  perching,  and  then  to 


The  Weasel  {Mustela  Vulgaris). 

leap  suddenly  upon  it  before  it  could  use  its  wings.  When  it  seizes  an 
animal  that  is  likely  to  make  its  escape,  the  Weasel  flings  its  body  over 
that  of  its  victim,  as  if  to  prevent  it  from  struggling.  In  single  combat 
with  a  large  and  powerful  rat,  the  Weasel  has  but  little  hope  of  success 
unless  it  should  be  able  to  attack  from  behind,  as  the  long,  chisel-edged 
teeth  of  the  rat  are  terrible  weapons  against  so  small  an  animal  as  the 
Weasel.  The  modes  of  attack  employed  by  the  two  animals  are  of  a 
different  character,  the  rat  making  a  succession  of  single  bites,  while 
the  Weasel  is  accustomed  to  fasten  its  teeth  on  the  head  or  neck  of  its 
opponent,  and  there  to  retain  its  hold  until  it  has  drained  the  blood  of 
its  victim.  The  fore-legs  of  the  Weasel  are  of  very  great  service  in 
such  a  contest,  for  when  it  has  fixed  its  teeth  it  embraces  its  opponent 
firmly  in  its  fore-limbs,  and,  rolling  over  on  its  side,  holds  its  antagonist 
in  its  unyielding  grasp,  which  is  never  relaxed  as  long  as  a  spark  of  life 
is  left. 

Like  the  polecat  and  others  of  the  same  group  of  animals,  the  Weasel 


104  THE  STOAT. 

is  most  destructive  in  its  Dature,  killing  many  more  animals  than  it  can 
devour,  simply  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  killing.  It  is  curious  to  notice 
how  the  savage  mind,  whether  it  belongs  to  man  or  beast,  actually  revels 
in  destruction,  is  maddened  to  absolute  frenzy  by  the  sight  of  blood, 
and  is  urged  by  a  kind  of  fiery  delirium  to  kill  and  to  pour  out  the 
vital  fluid.  Soldiers  in  the  heat  of  action  have  often  declared  that 
everything  which  they  saw  was  charged  with  a  blood-red  hue,  but  that 
the  details  of  the  conflict  had  entirely  passed  from  their  minds.  A  sin- 
gle Weasel,  urged  by  some  such  destructive  spirit,  has  been  known  to 
make  its  way  into  a  cage  full  of  freshly-caught  song-birds,  and  to  de- 
stroy every  single  bird.  The  little  assassin  was  discovered  lying  quite 
at  its  ease  in  a  corner  of  the  cage,  surrounded  with  the  dead  bodies  of 
its  victims. 

To  persons  who  have  had  but  little  experience  in  the  habits  of  wild 
animals,  it  is  generally  a  matter  of  some  surprise  that  the  celebrated 
Ermine  fur,  which  is  in  such  general  favor,  should  be  produced  by  one 
of  those  very  animals  which  we  are  popularly  accustomed  to  rank  among 
"  vermin,"  and  to  exterminate  in  every  possible  way.  Yet  so  it  is. 
The  highly-prized  Ermine  and  the  much-detested  Stoat  are,  in  fact, 
one  and  the  same  animal,  the  difference  in  the  color  of  their  coats  be- 
ing caused  solely  by  the  larger  or  smaller  proportion  of  heat  to  which 
they  have  been  subjected. 

In  the  summer-time,  the  fur  of  the  Stoat — by  which  name  the  an- 
imal will  be  designated,  whether  it  be  wearing  its  winter  or  summer 

dress — is  not  unlike 
that  of  the  weasel,  al- 
though  the  dark  parts 
of  the  fur  are  not  so 
ruddy  or  the  light  por^ 
Srp-5  tions  of  so  pure  a  white 
as  in  that  animal.  The 
toes  and  the  edges  of 
the  ears  are  also  white. 
^  TiiK  Stoat  ok  Krmine  (Winter  Dress).  The  change  of  color 

which  takes  place  during  the  colder  months  of  the  year  is  now  as- 
certained, with  tolerable  accuracy,  to  be  caused  by  an  actual  whitening 
of  the  fur,  and  not  by  the  gradual  substitution  of  white  for  dark  hairs, 
as  was  for  some  time  supposed  to  be  the  case. 

The  hairs  are  not  entirely  white,  even  in  their  most  completely 
blanched  state,  but  partake  of  a  very  delicate  cream-yellow,  especially 
upon  the  under  portions,  while  the  slightly  bushy  tip  of  the  tail  retains 
its  original  black  tinting,  and  presents  a  singular  contrast  to  the  remain- 
der of  the  fur.  In  these  comparatively  temperate  latitudes,  the  Stoat 
is  never  sufficiently  blanched  to  render  its  fur  of  any  commercial  value. 


THE  RATEL.  105 

As  may  be  supposed  from  th^  extreme  delicacy  of  the  skin  in  its  wintry 
whiteness,  the  capture  of  the  Stoat  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  its  fur 
is  a  mattter  of  no  small  difficulty.  The  traps  which  are  used  for  the 
purpose  of  destroying  the  Stoat  are  formed  so  as  to  kill  the  animal  by 
a  sudden  blow,  without  wounding  the  skin,  and  many  of  the  beautiful 
little  creatures  are  taken  in  ordinary  snares. 

In  this  country,  where  the  lowest  temperature  is  considerably  above 
that  of  the  ordinary  wintry  degrees,  the  Stoat  is  very  uncertain  in  its 
change  of  fur,  and  seems  to  yield  to  or  to  resist  the  effects  of  the  cold 
weather  according  to  the  individuality  of  the  particular  animal. 

The  Stoat  is  considerably  larger  than  the  weasel,  measuring  rather 
more  than  fourteen  inches  in  total  length,  of  which  the  tail  occupies 
rather  more  than  four  inches.  There  is,  however,  considerable  differ- 
ence in  the  size  of  various  individuals. 

It  is  a  most  determined  hunter,  pursuing  its  game  with  such  perti- 
nacious skill  that  it  very  seldom  permits  its  intended  prey  to  es- 
cape, and  by  dint  of  perseverance  can  capture  even  the  swift-footed 
hare. 

When  the  female  Stoat  is  providing  for  the  wants  of  a  young  family, 
she  forages  far  and  wide  for  her  offspring,  and  lays  up  the  produce  of 
her  chase  in  certain  cunningly-contrived  larders.  In  a  wood  belonging 
to  Lord  Bagot,  a  Stoat  nursery  was  discovered,  having  within  it  no  less 
than  six  inhabitants,  a  mother  and  her  five  young.  Their  larder  was 
supplied  with  five  hares  and  four  rabbits,  neither  of  which  had  been  in 
the  least  mangled,  with  the  exception  of  the  little  wound  that  had 
caused  its  death. 

In  the  clumsy-looking  animal  which  is  called  the  Ratel,  a  beauti- 
ful adaptation  of  nature  is  manifested.  Covered  from  the  tip  of  the 
nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  claws  with  thick,  coarse,  and  rough  fur, 
and  provided,  moreover,  with  a  skin  that  lies  very  loosely  on  the 
body,  the  Katel  is  marvellously  adapted  to  the  peculiar  life  which  it 
leads. 

Although  the  Ratel  is  in  all  probability  indebted  for  its  food  to  va- 
rious sources,  the  diet  which  it  best  loves  is  composed  of  the  combs  and 
young  of  the  honey-bee.  So  celebrated  is  the  animal  for  its  predi- 
lection for  this  sweet  dainty  that  it  has  earned  for  itself  the  title  of 
Honey  Ratel,  or  Honey  Weasel.  The  reason  for  its  extremely  thick 
coating  of  fur  is  now  evident.  The  animal  is  necessarily  exposed  to 
the  attacks  of  the  infuriated  bees  when  it  lays  siege  to  their  fastnesses, 
and  if  it  were  not  defended  by  a  coating  which  is  impenetrable  to  their 
stings,  it  would  soon  fall  a  victim  to  the  poisoned  weapons  of  its  myriad 
foes. 

During  the  daytime  the  Ratel  remains  in  its  burrow,  but  as  evening 
begins  to  draw  near  it  emerges  from  its  place  of  repose,  and  sets  off 


106 


THE  WOLVERENE. 


on  its  bee-hunting  expeditions.  As  the  animal  is  unable  to  climb  trees, 
a  bees'  nest  that  is  made  in  a  hollow  tree-limb  is  safe  from  its  attacks. 
But  the  greater  number  of  wild  bees  make  their  nests  in  the  deserted 
mansions  of  the  termite,  or  the  forsaken  burrows  of  various  animals. 
It  is  said  that  the  Ratel  finds  its  way  to  the  bees'  nests  by  watching 
the  direction  in  which  the  bees  return  toward  their  homes. 

The  color  of  the  Ratel  is  black  upon  the  muzzle,  the  limbs,  and  the 
■whole  of  the  under  portions  of  the  body ;  but  upon  the  upper  part  of 
the  head,  neck,  back,  ribs,  and  tail,  the  animal  is  furnished  with  a  thick 
covering  of  long  hairs,  which  are  of  an  ashy  gray  color.  A  bright 
gray  stripe,  about  an  inch  in  width,  runs  along  each  side  and  serves 
as  a  line  of  demarcation  between  the  light  and  the  dark  portions  of  the 
fur.  The  ears  of  the  Ratel  are  extremely  short.  The  lighter  fur  of 
the  back  is  variously  tinted  in  different  individuals,  some  being  of  the 
whitish  gray  which  has  been  already  mentioned,  and  others  remark- 
able for  a  decided  tinge  of  red.  The  length  of  the  Cape  Ratel  is 
rather  more  than  three  feet,  inclusive  of  the  tail,  which  measures  eight 
or  nine  inches  in  length.  In  its  walk  it  is  plantigrade,  and  has  so 
much  of  the  ursine  character  in  its  movements  that  it  has  been  called 
the  Indian  or  Honey  Bear.  It  is  sometimes  known  under  the  title  of 
"  Bharsiah." 

The  animal  which  has  just  been  described  is  an  inhabitant  of  South- 
ern Africa,  being  found  in  great  profusion  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
There  is,  however,  an  Indian  species  of  Ratel,  which  very  closely  re- 
sembles the  African  animal,  and  in  the  opinion  of  some  writers  is  iden- 
tical with  it. 

The  Wolverene — more  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  the  Glut- 
ton— has  earned  for  itself  a  world-wide  reputation  for  ferocity,  and  has 

given  occasion  to 
some  of  the  older  wri- 
ters on  natural  his- 
tory to  indulge  in  the 
most  unshackled  lib- 
erty of  description. 

It  is  known  that 

the    Glutton     feeds 

largely    on     the 

smaller  quadrupeds, 

and   that   it    is  a 

most  determined  foe 

to  the  beaver  in  the 

The  Wolverene  (Gulo  luscus).  summer     months. 

During  the  winter  it  has  little  chance  of  catching  a  beaver,  for  the 

animals  are   quietly  ensconced  in  their  home,  and  their  houses  are 


THE  SKUNK  AND  THE  TELEDU.  107 

rendered  so  strong  by  the  intense  cold  that  the  Glutton  is  unable  to 
break  through  their  ice-hardened  walls. 

The  Wolverene  is  an  inhabitant  of  Northern  America,  Siberia,  and 
a  great  part  of  Northern  Europe.  It  was  once  thought  that  the  Glut- 
ton and  the  Wolverene  were  distinct  animals,  but  it  is  now  ascertained 
that  they  both  belong  to  the  same  species. 

The  general  aspect  of  this  animal  is  not  unlike  that  of  a  young  bear, 
and  probably  on  that  account  it  was  placed  by  Linnaeus  among  the 
bears  under  the  title  of  Ursus  Luscm.  The  general  color  of  the  Wol- 
verene is  a  brownish  black;  the  muzzle  is  black  as  far  as  the  eyebrows, 
and  the  space  between  the  eyes  of  a  browner  hue.  In  some  specimens 
a  few  white  spots  are  scattered  upon  the  under  jaw.  The  sides 
of  the  body  are  washed  with  a  tint  of  a  warmer  hue.  The  paws  are 
quite  black,  and  the  contrast  between  the  jetty  fur  of  the  feet  and  the 
almost  ivory  whiteness  of  the  claws  is  extremely  curious.  These  white 
claws  are  much  esteemed  among  the  natives  for  the  purpose  of  being 
manufactured  into  certain  feminine  adornments. 

The  Skunk,  which  is  so  celebrated  for  the  horrible  odor  which  em- 
anates from  it,  belongs  to  the  Weasel  tribe. 

Scarcely  less  remarkable  for  its  ill-odor  than  the  skunk,  the  Teledu 
is  not  brought  so  prominently  before  the  public  eye  as  the  animal  which 
has  just  been  mentioned. 

It  is  a  native  of  Java,  and  seems  to  be  confined  to  those  portions 
of  the  country  that  are  not  less  than  seven  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  On  certain  portions  of  these  elevated  spots,  the 
Teledu — or  Stinkard,  as  it  is  popularly  called— can  always  be  found. 
The  earth  is  lighter  on  these  spots  than  in  the  valleys,  and  is  better 
suited  to  the  habits  of  the  Teledu,  which  roots  in  the  earth  after  the 
manner  of  hogs,  in  search  of  the  worms  and  insects  which  constitute 
its  chief  food.  This  habit  of  turning  up  the  soil  renders  it  very  ob- 
noxious to  the  native  agriculturists,  as  it  pursues  the  worms  in  their 
subterraneous  meanderings,  and  makes  sad  havoc  among  the  freshly- 
planted  seeds.  It  is  also  in  the  habit  of  doing  much  damage  to  the 
sprouting  plants  by  eating  off  their  roots. 

We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Horsfield  for  an  elaborate  and  interesting 
account  of  the  Teledu,  an  animal  which  he  contrived  to  tame  and  to 
watch  with  singular  success.  The  following  passages  are  selected  from 
his  memoir : 

"The  Mydaus  forms  its  dwelling  at  a  slight  depth  beneath  the  sur- 
face, in  the  black  mould,  with  considerable  ingenuity.  Having  selected 
a  spot  defended  above  by  the  roots  of  a  large  tree,  it  constructs  a  cell 
or  chamber  of  a  globular  form,  having  a  diameter  of  several  feet,  the 
sides  of  which  it  makes  perfectly  smooth  and  regular ;  this  it  provides 
with  a  subterraneous  conduit  or  avenue,  about  six  feet  in  length,  the 


108  THE  TELEDU. 

external  entrance  to  which  it  conceals  with  twigs  and  dry  leaves.  Dur- 
ing  the  day  it  remains  concealed,  like  a  badger  in  its  hole ;  at  night 
it  proceeds  in  search  of  its  food,  which  consists  of  insects  and  other 
larvge,  and  of  worms  of  every  kind.  It  is  particularly  fond  of  the 
common  lumbrici,  or  earth-worms,  which  abound  in  the  fertile  mould. 
These  animals,  agreeably  to  the  information  of  the  natives,  live  in  pairs, 
and  the  female  produces  two  or  three  young  at  a  birth. 

"  The  motions  of  the  Mydaus  are  slow,  and  it  is  easily  taken  by  the 
natives,  who  by  no  means  fear  it.  During  my  abode  on  the  Mountain 
Prahu,  I  engaged  them  to  procure  me  individuals  for  preparation  ;  and 
as  they  received  a  desirable  reward,  they  brought  them  to  me  daily  in 
greater  numbers  than  I  could  employ.  Whenever  the  natives  surprise 
them  suddenly,  they  prepare  them  for  food ;  the  flesh  is  then  scarcely 
impregnated  with  the  offensive  odor,  and  is  described  as  very  delicious. 
The  animals  are  generally  in  excellent  condition,  as  their  food  abounds 
in  fertile  mould. 

"  On  the  Mountain  Prahu,  the  natives,  who  were  most  active  in  sup- 
plying me  with  specimens  of  the  Mydaus,  assured  me  that  it  could  only 
propel  the  fluid  to  the  distance  of  about  two  feet.  The  fetid  matter  it- 
self is  of  a  viscid  nature ;  its  effects  depend  on  its  great  volatility,  and 
they  spread  through  a  great  extent.  The  entire  neighborhood  of  a  vil- 
lage is  infected  by  the  odor  of  an  irritated  Teledu,  and  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  the  discharge  it  is  so  violent  as  in  some  persons  to  pro- 
duce syncope.  The  various  species  of  Mephitis  in  America  differ  from 
the  Mydaus  in  the  capacity  of  projecting  the  fetid  matter  to  a  greater 
distance. 

"  The  Mydaus  is  not  ferocious  in  its  manners,  and,  taken  young,  like 
the  badger,  might  be  easily  tamed.  An  individual  which  I  kept  some 
time  in  confinement  afforded  me  an  opportunity  of  observing  its  dispo- 
sition. It  soon  became  gentle  and  reconciled  to  its  situation,  and  did 
not  at  any  time  emit  the  offensive  fluid.  I  carried  it  with  me  from 
Mountain  Prahu  to  Bladeran,  a  village  on  the  declivity  of  that  moun- 
tain, where  the  temperature  was  more  moderate.  While  a  drawing  was 
made,  the  animal  was  tied  to  a  small  stake.  It  moved  about  quietly, 
burrowing  the  ground  with  its  snout  and  feet,  as  if  in  search  of  food, 
without  taking  notice  of  the  bystanders,  or  making  violent  efforts  to 
disengage  itself;  on  earth-worms  (lumbrici)  being  brought,  it  ate  vora- 
ciously;  holding  one  extremity  of  a  worm  with  its  claws,  its  teeth  were 
employed  in  tearing  the  other.  Having  consumed  about  ten  or  twelve, 
it  became  drowsy,  and,  making  a  small  groove  in  the  earth,  in  which  it 
placed  its  snout,  it  composed  itself  deliberately,  and  was  soon  sound 
asleep." 

The  color  of  the  Teledu  is  a  blackish  brown,  with  the  exception  of 
the  fur  upon  the  top  of  the  head,  a  stripe  along  the  back,  and  the  tip 


THE   BADGER. 


109 


of  the  short  tail,  which  is  a  yellowish-white.  The  under  surface  of  the 
body  is  of  a  lighter  hue.  The  fur  is  long  and  of  a  silken  texture  at 
the  base,  and  closely  set  together,  so  as  to  afford  to  the  animal  the  warm 
covering  which  is  needed  in  the  elevated  spots  where  it  dwells.  The 
hair  is  especially  long  on  the  sides  of  the  neck,  and  curls  slightly  up- 
ward and  backward,  and  on  the  top  of  the  head  there  is  a  small  trans- 
verse crest.  The  feet  are  large,  and 'the  claws  of  the  fore-limbs  are 
nearly  twice  as  long  as  those  of  the  hinder  paws. 

In  the  whole  aspect  of  the  Teledu  there  is  a  great  resemblance  to  the 
badger,  and,  indeed,  the  animal  looks  very  like  a  miniature  badger,  of 
rather  eccentric  colors. 

Although  one  of  the  most  quiet  and  inoffensive  of  our  indigenous 
animals,  the  Badger  has  been  subjected  to  such  cruel  persecutions  as 
could  not  be  justified  even  if  the  creature  were  as  destructive  and  noi- 
some as  it  is  harmless  or   innocu- 
ous.    For  the  purposes  of  so-called 
"sport,"  the  Badger  was  captured 
and  put  into  a  cage,  ready  to  be 
tormented   at   the   cruel    will    of 
every  ruffian  who  might  choose  to 
risk  his  dog  against  the  sharp  teeth 
of  the  captive  animal. 

Being  naturally  as  harmless  an 
animal  as  can  be  imagined,  it  is  a 
terrible  antagonist  when  provoked 
to  use  the  means  of  defence  with 
which  it  is  so  well  provided.  Not 
only  are  the  teeth  long  and  sharp, 
but  the  jaws  are  so  formed  that  when  the  animal  closes  its  mouth  the 
jaws  "lock"  together  by  a  peculiar  structure  of  their  junction  with 
the  skull,  and  retain  their  hold  without  any  need  of  any  special  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  animal. 

Unlike  the  generality  of  the  weasel  tribe,  the  Badger  is  slow  and 
clumsy  in  its  actions,  and  rolls  along  so  aw'kwardly  in  its  gait  that  it 
may  easily  be  mistaken  for  a  young  pig  in  the  dark  of  the  evening,  at 
which  time  it  first  issues  from  its  burrow.  The  digging  capacities  of 
the  Badger  are  very  great,  the  animal  being  able  to  sink  itself  into  the 
ground  with  marvellous  rapidity.  For  this  power  it  is  indebted  to  the 
long  curved  claws  with  which  the  fore-feet  are  armed,  and  to  the  great 
development  of  the  muscles  that  work  the  fore-limbs. 

In  its  burrow  the  female  Badger  makes  her  nest  and  rears  her  young, 
which  are  generally  three  or  four  in  number. 

The  food  of  the  Badger  is  of  a  mixed  character,  being  partly  vegeta- 
ble and  partly  animal.     Snails  and  worms  are  greedily  devoured  by 

10 


The  Badger  {Meles  Taxus). 


110 


THE  OTTEK. 


this  creature,  and  the  wild  bees,  wasps,  and  other  fossorial  Hymeno- 
ptera  find  a  most  destructive  foe  in  the  Badger,  which  scrapes  away  the 
protecting  earth  and  devours  honey,  cells,  and  grubs  together,  without 
being  deterred  from  its  meal  by  the  stings  of  the  angry  bees. 

As  is  the  case  with  the  generality  of  weasels,  the  Badger  is  furnished 
with  an  apparatus  which  secretes  a  substance  of  an  exceedingly  ofi?ensive 
odor,  to  which  circumstance  is  probably  owing  much  of  the  popular 
prejudice  against  the  "stinking  brock." 

The  colors  of  the  Badger  are  gray,  black,  and  w  hite,  which  are  some- 
what curiously  distributed.  The  head  is  white,  with  the  exception  of 
a  rather  broad  and  very  definitely-marked  black  line  on  each  side,  com- 
mencing near  the  snout  and  ending  at  the  neck,  including  the  eye  and 
the  ear  in  its  course.  The  body  is  of  a  reddish  gray,  changing  to  a 
white  gray  on  the  ribs  and  tail.  The  throat,  chest,  abdomen,  legs,  and 
feet  are  of  a  deep  blackish  brown.  The  average  length  of  the  Bad- 
ger is  two  feet  six  inches,  and  its  height  at  the  shoulder  eleven 
inches. 

Although  by  no  means  a  large  animal,  the  Otter  has  attained  a 


The  Utter  {Lutm  vulgaris), 

universal  reputation  as  a  terrible  and  persevering  foe  to  fish.  Be- 
ing possessed  of  a  very  discriminating  palate,  and  invariably  choosing 
the  finest  fish  that  can  be  found  in  the  locality,  the  Otter  is  the  object 


THE  CHINESE  OTTER.  Ill 

of  the  profoundest  hate  to  the  proprietors  of  streams  aod  to  all  human 
fishermen. 

When  the  Otter  is  engaged  in  eating  the  fish  it  has  captured,  it  holds 
the  slippery  prey  between  its  fore-paws,  and,  beginning  with  the  back 
of  the  neck,  eats  away  the  flesh  from  the  neck  toward  the  tail,  reject- 
ing the  head,  tail,  and  other  portions. 

For  the  pursuit  of  its  finny  prey  the  Otter  is  admirably  adapted  by  na- 
ture. The  body  is  lithe  and  serpentine ;  the  feet  are  furnished  with  a 
broad  web  that  connects  the  toes,  and  is  of  infinite  service  in  propel- 
ling the  animal  through  the  water;  the  tail  is  long,  broad,  and  flat, 
proving  a  powerful  and  effectual  rudder,  by  which  its  movements  are 
directed ;  and  the  short,  powerful  legs  are  so  loosely  jointed  that  the 
animal  can  turn  them  in  almost  any  direction.  The  teeth  are  sharp  and 
strong,  and  of  great  service  in  preventing  the  slippery  prey  from  escaping. 

The  color  of  the  Otter  varies  slightly  according  to  the  light  in  which 
it  is  viewed,  but  is  generally  of  a  rich  brown  tint,  intermixed  with 
whitish  gray.  This  color  is  lighter  along  the  back  and  the  outside  of 
the  legs  than  on  the  other  parts  of  the  body,  which  are  of  a  paler 
grayish  hue.  Its  habitation  is  made  on  the  bank  of  the  river  which 
it  frequents,  and  is  rather  inartificial  in  its  character,  as  the  creature 
is  fonder  of  occupying  some  natural  crevice  or  deserted  excavation 
than  of  digging  a  burrow  for  itself.  The  nest  of  the  Otter  is  com- 
posed of  dry  rushes,  flags,  or  other  aquatic  plants,  and  is  purposely 
placed  as  near  the  water  as  possible,  so  that  in  case  of  a  sudden  alarm 
the  mother  Otter  may  plunge  into  the  stream  together  with  her  young 
family,  and  find  a  refuge  among  the  vegetation  that  skirts  the  river- 
banks.  The  number  of  the  young  is  from  three  to  five,  and  they  make 
their  appearance  about  March  or  April. 

The  fur  of  the  Otter  is  so  warm  and  handsome  that  it  is  in  some 
request  for  commercial  purposes.  The  entire  length  of  the  animal  is 
rather  under  three  feet  and  a  half,  of  which  the  tail  occupies  about 
fourteen  or  fifteen  inches.  On  the  average  it  weighs  about  twenty- 
three  pounds,  but  there  are  examples  which  have  far  surpassed  that 
weight.  Mr.  Bell  records  an  instance  of  a  gigantic  Otter  that  was 
captured  in  the  river  Lea,  between  Hertford  and  Ware,  and  which 
weighed  forty  pounds. 

Although  so  fierce  and  savage  an  animal  when  attacked,  the  Otter 
is  singularly  susceptible  of  human  influence,  and  can  be  taught  to 
catch  fish  for  the  service  of  its  masters  rather  than  for  the  gratification 
of  its  own  palate.  The  Chinese  or  Indian  Otter  afl^ords  an  excel- 
lent instance  of  this  capability ;  for  in  every  part  of  India  the  trained 
Otters  are  almost  as  common  as  trained  dogs  in  England.  It  seems 
odd  that  the  proprietors  of  streams  should  not  press  the  Otter  into 
their  service  instead  of  destroying  it,  and  manage  to  convert  into  a 


112  BEARS. 

faithful  friend  the  animal  which  at  present  is  considered  but  as  a  ruth- 
less enemy. 

BEARS. 

The  Bears  and  their  allies  form  a  family  which  is  small  in  point 
of  numbers,  but  is  a  very  conspicuous  one  on  account  of  the  large 
size  of  the  greater  part  of  its  members. 


The  Aswail,  or  Sloth  Bear  {Melursus  Lyhius), 

These  animals  are  found  on  almost  every  portion  of  the  earth's  sur- 
face, and  are  fitted  by  nature  to  inhabit  the  hottest  and  the  coldest 
parts  of  the  world.  India,  Borneo,  and  other  burning  lands  are  the 
homes  of  sundry  members  of  this  family,  such  as  the  Bruang  and  the 
Aswail;  while  the  snowy  regions  of  Northern  Europe  and  the  icebound 
coasts  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  are  inhabited  by  the  Brown  Bear  and  the 
Nennook  or  Polar  Bear. 

The  paws  of  the  Bears  are  armed  with  long  and  sharp  talons,  which 
are  not  capable  of  retraction,  but  which  are  most  efficient  weapons  of 
offence  when  urged  by  the  powerful  muscles  which  give  force  to  the 
Bear's  limbs.  Should  the  adversary  contrive  to  elude  the  quick  and 
heavy  blows  of  the  paw,  the  Bear  endeavors  to  seize  the  foe  round  the 
body,  and  by  dint  of  sheer  pressure  to  overcome  its  enemy.  In  guard- 
ing Itself  from  the  blows  which  are  aimed  at  it  by  its  adversary  the 


THE   BROWN   BEAR.  113 

Bear  is  singularly  adroit,  warding  off  the  fiercest  strokes  with  a  dex- 
terity that  might  be  envied  by  many  a  pretender  to  the  pugilistic 
art. 

Several  species  of  Bears  are  now  recognized  by  systematic  natural- 
ists, the  principal  examples  of  which  will  be  noticed  in  the  following 
pages. 

The  Bear  which  is  most  popularly  known  in  this  country  is  the 
Brown  Bear,  a  creature  which  is  found  rather  plentifully  in  for- 
ests and  the  mountainous  districts  of  many  portions  of  Europe  and 
Asia.  As  may  be  supposed  from  its  title,  the  color  of  its  fur  is  brown, 
slightly  variable  in  tint  in  different  individuals,  and  often  in  the  same 
individual  at  various  ages.  If  captured  when  young,  the  Brown 
Bear  is  readily  tamed  and  is  capable  of  mastering  many  accomplish- 
ments. 

The  size  to  which  a  well-fed  and  undisturbed  Brown  Bear  will  grow 
is  really  surprising,  for,  although  it  loses  its  growing  properties  after  its 
twentieth  year,  it  seems  permanently  to  retain  the  capability  of  enlarge- 
ment, and  when  in  a  favorable  situation  will  live  to  a  very  great  age. 
The  weight  of  an  adult  Brown  Bear  in  good  condition  is  very  great, 
being  sometimes  from  seven  to  eight  hundred  pounds  when  the  crea- 
ture is  remarkably  fine,  and  from  five  to  six  hundred  pounds  in  ordi- 
nary cases.  Mr.  Falk  remarks  that  a  Bear  which  he  killed  was  so 
enorinously  heavy  that  when  slung  on  a  pole  it  was  a  weighty  burden 
for  ten  bearers. 

Ants  form  a  favorite  article  of  diet  with  a  Bear,  which  scrapes  their 
nests  out  of  the  earth  with  its  powerful  talons,  and  laps  up  the  ants  and 
their  so-called  "  eggs  "  with  its  ready  tongue.  Bees  and  their  sweet 
produce  are  greatly  to  the  taste  of  the  Bear,  which  is  said  to  make 
occasional  raids  upon  the  beehives,  and  to  plunder  their  contents. 

Vegetablas  of  various  kinds  are  also  eaten  by  the  Bear,  and  in  the 
selection  of  thess  dainties  the  animal  evinces  considerable  taste.  Ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Llo/d,  "  the  Bear  feeds  on  roots,  and  the  leaves  and 
small  limbs  of  the  aspen,  mountain-ash,  and  other  trees;  he  is  also 
fond  of  succulent  plants,  such  as  angelica,  mountain-thistle,  etc.  To 
berries  he  is  likewise  very  partial,  and  during  the  autumnal  months, 
when  they  are  ripe,  he  devours  vast  quantities  of  cranberries,  blueber- 
ries, raspberries,  strawberries,  cloudberries,  and  other  berries  common 
to  the  Scandinavian  forests.  Kipe  corn  he  also  eats,  and  sometimes 
commits  no  small  havoc  amongst  it;  for,  seating  himself,  as  it  is  said, 
on  his  haunches  in  a  field  of  it,  he  collects  with  his  outstretched  arms 
nearly  a  sheaf  at  a  time,  the  ears  of  which  he  then  devours." 

During  the  autumn  the  Bear  becomes  extremely  fat,  in  consequence 
of  the  ample  feasts  which  it  is  able  to  enjoy,  and  makes  its  preparations 
for  passing  the  cold  and  inhospitable  months  of  winter.     About  the  end 

10*  H  " 


114 


THE  BROWN  BEAR. 


of  October  the  Bear  has  completed  its  winter  house,  and  ceases  feeding 
for  the  year. 

A  curious  phenomenon  now  takes  place  in  the  animal's  digestive 
organs,  which  gives  it  the  capability  of  remaining  through  the  entire 
winter  in  a  state  of  lethargy,  without  food,  and  yet  without  losing 
condition. 

From  the  end  of  October  to  the  middle  of  April  the  Bear  remains  in 
his  den,  in  a  dull  lethargic  state  of  existence ;  and  it  is  a  curious  fact 
that  if  a  hibernating  Bear  be  discovered  and  killed  in  its  den,  it  is 
quite  as  fat  as  if  it  had  been  slain  before  it  retired  to  its  resting-place. 

Experienced  hunters 
buy  that  even  at  the 
end  of  its  five  months' 
sleep  the  Bear  is  as 
fat  as  at  its  beginning. 
Sometimes  it  is  said 
that  the  Bear  par- 
tially awakes,  and  in 
that  case  it  immedi- 
f^^s's^^^'^^^BI^^HfmBH^^BHHIl^^^    ately   loses    its   sleek 

condition,  and  be- 
comes extremely  thin. 
During  the  winter  the 
Bear  gains  a  new  skin 

"^^ ''     ^       '     ^■'    "Z"'      .       X  on    the    balls    of  the 

The  Brown  Bbau  {Ursus  Arc(os),  ^^^^^  ^^^   ^^    ^loyd 

suggests  that  the  curious  habit  of  sucking  the  paws,  to  which  Bears  are 
so  prone,  is  in  order  to  facilitate  the  growth  of  the  new  integument. 

The  Bear  is  possessed  of  several  valuable  accomplishments,  being  a 
wonderful  climber  of  trees  and  rocks,  an  excellent  swimmer,  and  a  good 
digger. 

The  number  of  cubs  which  the  female  Bear  produces  is  from  one  to 
four,  and  they  are  very  small  during  the  first  few^  days  of  their  existence. 
They  make  their  appearance  at  the  end  of  January  or  the  beginning 
of  February,  and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that,  although  the  mother  has  at 
the  time  been  deprived  of  food  for  nearly  three  mouths,  and  does  not 
take  any  more  until  the  spring,  she  is  able  to  afl'ord  ample  nourishment 
to  her  young  without  suffering  any  apparent  diminution  in  her  condi- 
tion. It  is  said,  by  those  who  have  had  personal  experience  of  the 
habits  of  the  Bear,  that  the  mother  takes  the  greatest  care  of  her  off- 
spring during  the  summer,  but  that  when  winter  approaches  she  does 
not  suffer  them  to  partake  of  her  residence,  but  prepares  winter-quar- 
ters for  them  in  her  immediate  neighborhood.  During  the  winter 
another  little  family  is  born,  and  when  they  issue  forth  from  their 


THE  SYRIAN  BEAR  AND  THE  GRIZZLY  BEAR.  115 

home  they  are  joined  by  the  elder  cubs,  and  the  two  families  pass  the 
next  winter  in  the  mother's  den. 

The  Syrian  Bear,  which  is  otherwise  known  by  the  name  of 
DuBB,  or  RiTCK,  is  doubly  interesting  to  us,  not  only  on  account  of 
its  peculiarly  gentle  character,  but  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  animal 
which  is  so  often  mentioned  in  the  scriptural  writings. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  rather  peculiar,  and  varies  extremely 
during  the  different  periods  of  its  life.  While  it  is  in  its  earliest  years, 
the  color  of  its  fur  is  a  grayish  brown,  but  as  the  animal  increases  in 
years  the  fur  becomes  gradually  lighter  in  tint,  and  when  the  Bear  has 
attained  maturity  is  nearly  white.  The  hair  is  long  and  slightly  curled, 
and  beneath  the  longer  hair  is  a  thick  and  warm  covering  of  closely-set 
woolly  fur,  which  seems  to  defend  the  animal  from  the  extremes  of  heat 
or  cold.  Along  the  shoulders  and  front  of  the  neck,  the  hair  is  so  per- 
pendicularly set,  and  projects  so  firmly,  that  it  gives  the  appearance  of 
a  mane,  somewhat  resembling  that  of  the  hysena. 

At  the  present  day  the  Syrian  Bear  may  be  found  in  the  mountain- 
ous parts  of  Palestine,  and  has  been  frequently  seen  upon  the  higher 
Lebanon  mountains. 

The  fur  of  this  Bear  is  rather  valuable  on  account  of  its  warmth  and 
beauty,  and  the  fat  and  the  gall  are  also  held  in  much  esteem  for  vari- 
ous purposes,  chiefly  medicinal. 

America  furnishes  several  species  of  the  Bear  tribe,  two  of  which, 
the  Grizzly  Bear  and  the  Musquaw,  or  Black  Bear,  are  the  most 
conspicuous. 

The  Black  Bear  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Northern  America,  and 
was  formerly  seen  in  great  plenty.  But,  as  the  fur  and  the  fat  are  arti- 
cles of  great  commercial  and  social  value,  the  hunters  have  exercised 
their  craft  with  such  determination  that  the  Black  Bears  are  sensibly 
diminishing  in  number.  The  fur  of  the  Black  Bear  is  not  so  roughly 
shaggy  as  that  of  the  European  or  the  Syrian  Bear,  but  is  smooth  and 
glossy  in  its  appearance,  so  that  it  presents  a  very  handsome  aspect 
to  the  eye,  while  its  texture  is  as  thick  and  warm  as  that  of  its  rougher 
furred  relations. 

There  are  few  animals  which  are  so  widely  and  deservedly  dreaded 
as  the  Grizzly  Bear.  This  terrible  animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  many 
portions  of  Northern  America,  and  is  the  acknowledged  superior  of 
every  animal  that  ranges  over  the  same  country. 

The  other  members  of  the  ursine  family  are  not  given  to  attacking 
human  beings,  unless  they  are  alarmed  or  wounded,  but  the  Grizzly — or 
"  Ephraim,"  as  the  creature  is  familiarly  termed  by  the  hunters — dis- 
plays a  most  unpleasant  readiness  to  assume  the  offensive  as  soon  as  it 
perceives  a  man,  be  he  mounted  or  on  foot,  armed  or  otherwise. 

So  tenacious  of  life  is  the  Grizzly  Bear  that  unless  it  receives  a  wound 


116 


THE  SUN-BEAK  AND  THE  NENNOOK. 


iu  the  head  or  heart  it  will  continue  its  furious  struggles,  even  though 
it  be  riddled  with  bullets  and  its  body  pierced  with  many  a  gaping 
wound.  These  warlike  capacities  render  the  creature  respected  by  the 
natives  and  colonists,  and  the  slaughter  of  a  Grizzly  Bear  in  fair  fight  is 
considered  an  extremely  high  honor.  Among  the  native  tribes  that 
dwell  in  the  northern  portions  of  America,  the  possession  of  a  necklace 

formed  from  the  claws 
of  the  Grizzly  Bear  is 
considered  as  enviable 
a  mark  of  distinction  as 
a  blue  ribbon  among 
the  English.  No  one 
is  permitted  to  wear 
such  an  ornament  un- 
less the  Bear  has  fallen 
under  his  hand;  conse- 
quently, the  value  of  the 
decoration  is  almost  in- 
calculable. So  largely 
is  this  mark  of  distinc- 
tion prized  that  the  In- 
dian who  has  achieved 
such  a  dignity  can  hard- 
ly be  induced  to  part 
with  his  valued  ornament  by  any  remuneration  that  can  be  offered. 

The  color  of  the  Grizzly  Bear  is  extremely  variable — so  much  so, 
indeed,  that  some  zoologists  have  suggested  the  existence  of  two 
distinct  species.  Sometimes  the  color  of  the  fur  is  a  dullish  brown, 
plentifully  flecked  with  grizzled  hairs,  and  in  other  specimens  the  entire 
fur  is  of  a  beautiful  steely  gray. 

There  is  a  small  group  of  these  animals  called  Sun-Beaes,  from 
their  habit  of  basking  in  the  sun  instead  of  hiding  in  their  dens  during 
the  hours  of  daylight.  A  very  curious  example  of  the  Sun-Bears  is 
found  in  the  species  which  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Bruang  or 
Malayan  Sun-Bear,  and  has  been  rendered  famous  by  the  spirited 
description  of  its  appearance  and  habits  which  has  been  given  by  Sir 
Stamford  Raflles. 

There  is  generally  an  aquatic  member  of  each  group  of  animals 
throughout  the  vertebrate  kingdom,  and  among  the  Bears  this  part  is 
filled  by  the  Nennook,  or  Polar  Bear,  sometimes  called,  on  account 
of  its  beautiful  silvery  fur,  the  White  Bear.  As  has  already  been 
mentioned,  the  Bears  are  good  swimmers,  and  are  able  to  cross  channels 
of  considerable  width,  but  we  have,  in  the  person  of  the  Nennook,  an 
animal  that  is  especially  formed  for  traversing  the  waters   and   for 


The  Grizzly  Bear  ( Ursus  ferox 


THE   POLAR  BEAR. 


117 


passing  its  existence  among   the   ice-mountains  of  the  northern  re- 
gions. 

So  active  is  this  Bear,  and  so  admirable  are  its  powers  of  aquatic 
locomotion,  that  it  has  been  known  to  plunge  into  the  water  in  chase 
of  a  salmon,  and  to  return  to  the  surface  with  the  captured  fish  in  its 
mouth.  And  when  it  is  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  seals,  as  they  are 
sleeping  on  a  rock  or  an  ice-raft,  it  is  said  to  employ  a  very  ingenious 
mode  of  approach.  Marking  the  position  in  which  its  intended  prey 
lies,  it  quietly  slips  into  the  water,  and,  diving  below  the  surface,  swims 
in  the  intended  direction  until  it  is  forced  to  return  to  the  surface  in 
order  to  breathe.  As  soon  as  it  has  filled  its  lungs  with  fresh  air  it 
again  submerges  it- 
self and  resumes  its 
course,  timing  its 
submarine  journeys 
so  well  that  when  it 
ascends  to  the  surface 
for  the  last  time  it  is 
in  close  proximity  to 
the  slumbering  seal. 
The  fate  of  the  un- 
fortunate victim  is 
now  settled,  for  it 
cannot  take  refuge 
in  the  water  with- 
out falling  into  the 
clutches    of    its    pur-  ^"^^  Polar  Bear  {Thalfrrdos  maritimus). 

suer,  and  if  it'  endeavors  to  escape  by  land  it  is  speedily  overtaken 
and  destroyed  by  the  swifter-footed  Bear. 

So  powerful  an  animal  as  the  Polar  Bear  must  necessarily  be  very 
dangerous  when  considered  in  the  light  of  a  foe.  Sometimes  it  runs 
away  as  soon  as  it  sees  or  smells  a  human  being,  but  at  others  it  is 
extremely  malicious,  and  will  attack  a  man  without  any  apparent 
reason.  As  is  the  case  with  nearly  all  the  Bears,  it  is  very  tenacious 
of  life,  and  even  when  pierced  with  many  wounds  will  fight  in  the 
most  desperate  manner,  employing  both  teeth  and  claws  in  the  combat, 
and  only  yielding  the  struggle  with  its  life. 

The  color  of  the  Neunook's  fur  is  a  silvery  white,  tinged  with  a  slight 
yellow  hue,  rather  variable  in  diflTerent  individuals.  Even  in  specimens 
that  were  confined  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  there  was  a  perceptible 
difference  in  the  tint  of  their  fur,  the  coat  of  one  of  them  being  of  a 
purer  white  than  that  of  the  other.  The  yellowish  tinge  which  has 
just  been  mentioned  is  very  similar  to  the  creamy  yellow  hue  which 
edges  the  ermine's  fur.     The  feet  are  armed  with  strong  claws  of  no 


118 


THE  KACOON. 


very  great  length,  and  but  slightly  curved.  Their  color  is  black,  so 
that  they  form  a  very  bold  contrast  with  the  white  fur  that  falls  over 
the  feet.  Even  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  by  means  of  its  mere 
outline,  the  Polar  Bear  may  be  distinguished  from  every  other  member 
of  the  Bear  tribe  by  its  peculiar  shape.  The  neck  is,  although 
extremely  powerful,  very  long  in  proportion  to  the  remainder  of  the 
body,  and  the  head  is  so  small  and  sharp  that  there  is  a  very  snake- 
like aspect  about  that  portion  of  the  animal's  person. 

The  young  of  the  Nennook  are  generally  two  in  number,  and,  when 
they  make  their  first  appearance  outside  the  snow-built  nursery  in 
which  their  few  months  of  existence  have  been  passed,  are  about  the 
size  of  shepherds'  dogs  and  in  excellent  condition. 

Preserving  somewhat  of  the  ursine  aspect  and  much  of  the  ursine 
habits,  the  Racoon — or  Mapach,  as  it  is  sometimes  named — is  an 
active,  spirited,  and  amusing  animal.  As  it  is  readily  tamed,  although 
rather  subject  to  occasional  infirmity  of  temper,  and  is  inquisitive, 
quaint,  and  lively  withal,  it  is  a  great  favorite  with  such  persons  as 
have  kept  it  in  captivity. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  rather  peculiar,  and  not  very  easy  to 
describe.  The  general  tint  of  the  body  and  limbs  is  an  undecided 
blackish  gray,  the  gray  and  black  predominating  according  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  observer  and  the  arrangement  of  the  fur.     Tlie  hairs  that 

form  the  coat  of  the  Racoon 
are  of  two  kinds,  the  one  of 
a  soft  and  woolly  character, 
lying  next  to  the  skin,  and 
the  other  composed  of  long 
and  rather  stiflT  hairs  that 
project  through  the  wool  for 
some  distance.  The  woolly  fur 
is  of  a  uniform  gray,  while  the 
longer  hairs  are  alternately 
marked  with  black  and  gray- 
ish w^iite.  Upon  the  top  of 
the  head  and  across  the  eyes 
the  fur  is  of  a  very  dark  black- 
ish brown,  and  upon  the  knee-joint  of  each  leg  it  is  of  a  darker  tint  than 
on  the  rest  of  the  body.  The  tail  is  rather  short  and  bushy  in  cha- 
racter, and  is  marked  with  five,  or  sometimes  six,  blackish  rings  upon 
a  ground  of  dark  gray. 

As  is  indicated  by  the  peculiar  nature  of  its  teeth,  the  Racoon  is 
capable  of  feeding  on  animal  or  vegetable  food,  but  seems  to  prefer  the 
latter.  Indeed,  there  seem  to  be  few  things  which  the  Racoon  will 
not  eat.     One  of  these  animals  ate  a  piece  of  cedar  pencil  which  it 


The  Racoon  {Procyoit  Lotor). 


THE   RACOON.  119 

snatched  out  of  my  hand,  and  tried  very  hard  to  eat  the  envelop  of  a 
letter  on  which  I  was  making  notes.  Not  succeeding  in  the  attempt,  it 
consoled  itself  by  tearing  the  paper  into  minute  morsels,  employing 
teeth  and  paws  in  the  attempt.  It  did  its  best  to  get  a  ring  off  ray 
finger  by  hitching  one  of  its  crooked  claws  into  the  ring  and  pulling 
with  all  its  strength,  wiiich  was  very  considerable  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  animal.  Its  brown  eyes  lighted  up  with  animation  when 
engaged  in  play,  and  it  was  very  fond  of  pushing  its  paw  through  the 
bars  of  its  cage  in  order  to  attract  attention. 

In  its  native  state  it  is  a  great  devourer  of  oysters,  crabs,  and  other 
similar  animals,  displaying  singular  ingenuity  in  opening  the  stubborn 
shells  of  the  oysters,  or  in  despatching  the  crabs  without  suffering  from 
their  ready  claws.  Sometimes  it  is  said  to  fall  a  victim  to  the  oyster, 
and  to  be  held  so  firmly  by  the  closing  shells  that  it  cannot  extricate 
itself,  and  perishes  miserably  by  the  rising  tide.  Its  oyster-eating 
propensities  have  been  questioned,  but  are  now  clearly  proven.  The 
sand  and  soil  that  fringe  the  oyster-beds  are  frequently  seen  to  be  cover- 
ed with  the  foot-marks  of  this  animal. 

It  is  always  fond  of  water,  drinking  largely,  and  immersing  its  food, 
so  as  to  moisten  it  as  much  as  possible.  When  engaged  in  this  curious 
custom  it  grasps  the  food  in  both  its  fore-paws,  and  shakes  it  violently 
backward  and  forward  in  the  water.  On  account  of  this  remarkable 
habit  it  has  been  dignified  with  the  title  of  Lotor,  "  a  washer."  The 
German  naturalists  term  it  Wasch-B'dr,  or  Washing  Bear. 

Roving  at  night  through  the  woods,  and  being  gifted  with  singular 
subtlety  as  well  as  agility,  it  is  frequently  chased  by  the  residents,  who 
think  a  'Coon-hunt  to  be  one  of  the  most  exciting  of  sports.  Certainly, 
to  judge  from  the  animated  descriptions  of  such  scenes,  the  whole  affair 
must  be  marvellously  picturesque  to  the  eye  as  well  as  exciting  to  the 
mind.  The  usual  plan  of  hunting  the  'Coon  is  to  set  an  experienced 
dog  on  its  trail,  and  to  chase  it  until  it  takes  refuge  in  a  tree.  A  blaz- 
ing fire  of  pins  chips  is  then  built  under  the  tree,  which  illuminates  its 
branches  and  renders  the  smallest  leaf  perceptible.  A  good  climber 
then  ascends  the  tree,  and  speedily  dislodges  the  concealed  animal. 

In  size  the  Racoon  equals  a  small  fox,  to  which  animal  it  bears  a 
slight  external  resemblance.  The  number  of  its  young  is  usually  two 
or  three,  and  they  make  their  appearance  in  the  month  of  May. 

The  animals  which  compose  the  curious  genus  that  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Narica  are  easily  recognized  on  account  of  the  singular 
length  of  the  nose,  which  is  prolonged  so  as  to  form  a  miniature  and 
mobile  proboscis.  In  their  general  habits  and  diet  they  very  strongly 
resemble  the  racoons,  and  are  as  admirable  climbers  of  trees  as  can  be 
found  in  the  animal  kingdom. 

The  extraordinary  snout  with  which  the  Coaitis  are  gifted  is  very 


120 


THE  COAITI-MONDI. 


i!|Si;Vi!^t> 


useful  to  the  possessor,  being  employed  for  the  purpose  of  rooting  in 
the  ground  in  search  of  worms  and  insects,  together  with  other  import- 
ant uses.  When  they  drink,  the  Coaitis  lap  the  water  after  the  manner 
of  dogs,  and  when  so  engaged  turn  up  their  flexible  snout,  so  as  to  keep 
that  useful  member  from  being  wetted  more  than  is  necessary.  They  are 
inhabitants  of  Southern  America,  and  are  found  in  small  companies 
upon  the  trees  among  which  they  reside,  and  on  the  thin  branches  of 
which  they  find  the  greater  part  of  their  food.  Two  examples  of  the 
Coaitis  will  be  briefly  described. 

The  CoAiTi-MONDi,  or  Ked  Coaiti,  derives  its  name  from  the  reddish 
chestnut  hue  which  prevails  over  the  greater  portion  of  the  fur,  and  is 

only  broken  by  the  black  ears  and 
legs,  the  maroon-colored  bands 
upon  the  tail,  and  the  white  hairs 
which  edge  the  upper  jaw  and 
entirely  cover  the  lower.  The 
texture  of  the  fur  is  rather  harsh 
and  wiry,  and  of  no  very  great 
importance  in  commerce.  Upon 
the  paws  are  certain  curious  tu- 
bercles, which  alone  would  serve 
to  identify  the  animal  were  it 
entirely  destroyed  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  single  foot.  It  is  ex- 
tremely active  in  the  ascent  and 
descent  of  trees,  and  pursues  its  prey  among  the  limbs  with  great  cer- 
tainty. Its  food  Consists  of  sundry  vegetable  and  animal  substances, 
but  the  creature  seems  to  prefer  the  latter  to  the  former. 

It  is  a  nocturnal  animal,  and  does  not  show  its  true  liveliness  until 
the  shades  of  evening  begin  to  draw  on,  but  lies  curled  up  in  a  curious 
but  comfortable  attitude,  its  long  and  bushy  tail  serving  for  blanket 
and  pillow.  Toward  evening,  however,  the  Coaiti  rouses  itself  from 
its  lethargy,  and  becomes  full  of  life  and  vigor,  careering  about  the 
branches  with  extraordinary  rapidity  of  movement  and  certainty  of 
hold,  and  agitating  its  mobile  nose  with  unceasing  energy,  as  if  for  the 
purpose  of  discovering  by  the  snout  the  presence  of  some  welcome  food. 
It  is  a  merciless  robber  of  birds'  nests,  and  will  eat  parent,  eggs,  or 
young  with  equal  appetite. 

Althouirh  possessed  of  a  very  irritable  temper,  the  Coaiti  is  tamed 
without  difficulty  to  a  certain  extent,  but  is  always  capricious  in  its 
affections,  and  cannot  be  trusted  without  danger.  When  attacked  by 
men  or  do.irs,  the  Coaiti  fights  desperately,  and  can  inflict  such  dangerous 
wounds  with  its  double-edged  canine  teeth  that  it  is,  although  so  small 
an  animal,  no  despicable  antagonist. 


The  Coaiti-Mo.sdi  {Nasua  Rufa). 


THE  BROWN  COAITI  AND  THE  KINKAJOU. 


121 


Another  species  of  Coaiti  inhabits  the  same  regions  as  the  last-men- 
tioned animal.  This  is  the  Narica,  or  Quasje,  which  is  sometimes 
called  the  Brown  Coaiti,  in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  red 
species.     Sometimes  the  name  is  spelled  "  Quaschi." 

The  singular  creature  which  is  known  under  the  title  of  Kinkajou, 
or  Potto,  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  America,  and  is  spread  over 


The  Kinkajou  or  Potto  [C'ercoleptes  caudivolvulus). 

a  very  large  extent  of  country,  so  that  it  is  known  in  different  places 
under  different  appellations,  such  as  Honey  Bear,  Manaviri,  or  Gu- 
chumbi.  When  fully  grown,  the  Kinkajou  is  equal  to  a  large  cat  in 
size,  but  is  very  much  stronger  in  proportion  to  the  dimensions  of  its 
body.  The  color  of  the  animal  is  a  very  light  dun,  obscurely  traversed 
by  narrow  darker  bands,  that  run  over  the  back  toward  the  ribs  and 
partly  follow  their  course.  Another  darker  band  is  observable  round 
the  neck,  but  all  these  marks  are  so  very  indistinct  that  they  can  only 
be  seen  in  a  favorable  light. 

The  most  remarkable  point  in  this  animal  is  the  extreme  length  and 
flexibility  of  the  tongue,  which  it  is  able  to  protrude  to  a  marvellous 
extent,  and  which  it  can  insinuate  into  the  smallest  crevices  in  search 
of  the  insects  which  have  taken  shelter  therein.  It  is  said  that  the  an- 
imal employs  its  long  tongue  for  the  purpose  of  thrusting  that  organ 
into  the  bee-cells  and  licking  out  the  sweet  contents  of  the  waxen  treas- 
11 


122 


THE  COMMON  MOLE. 


ury.  With  its  tongue  it  can  perform  many  offices  of  an  elephant's 
trunk,  and  will  frequently  seize  and  draw  toward  its  mouth  the  articles 
of  food  which  may  be  beyond  the  reach  of  its  lips.  It  has  also  been 
seen  to  use  its  tail  for  the  same  purpose. 

Assisted  by  its  prehensile  tail,  the  Kinkajou  is  an  admirable  and 
fearless  climber,  possessing  the  capability  of  suspending  its  body  by  the 
hinder  feet  and  the  tail,  and  remaining  in  this  inverted  attitude  for  a 
considerable  space  of  time.  It  is  evidently  nocturnal  in  its  habits, 
being  sadly  distressed  by  the  effect  of  daylight  upon  its  eyes. 

It  is  easily  tamed,  and  when  domesticated  is  of  a  sportful  nature, 
delighting  to  play  with  those  persons  whom  it  knows  and  trusts,  and 
making  pretence  to  bite,  after  the  manner  of  puppies  and  kittens.  It 
is  very  susceptible  to  kindness,  and  is  fond  of  the  caresses  which  are 
offered  by  its  friends.  In  its  wild  state,  however,  it  is  a  rather  fierce 
animal,  and  when  assaulted  offers  such  a  spirited  resistance,  even  to 
human  foes,  that  it  will  beat  off  any  but  a  determined  man,  supposing 
him  to  be  unarmed  and  unassisted. 


INSECTIYORA. 

The  animals  which  are  comprised  in  the  Insect-eating  group  are  well 
represented  in  England,  in  which  country  we  find  the  Mole,  the  vari- 
ous Shrews,  and  the  Hedgehog,  as  examples  of  the  Talpid^,  or  the 
family  of  the  Moles. 

Some  of  these  creatures,  such  as  the  shrew,  present  so  close  an  ex- 
ternal resemblance  to  the  common  mice  that  they  are  popularly  sup- 
posed to  belong  to  the  same  class,  and  are  called  by  the  same  general 
name.  Many  species  live  beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  seek 
in  that  dark  hunting-ground  the  prey  which  cannot  be  enticed  to  the 
NiX-^s.'     '^N\^"-^^  "-     ^^  surface    in    sufficient   numbers  to 

^>^v^^^^  —         \$5^^^\    supply  adequate  nourishment  for 

the  ever-hungry  worm-devourers. 
Of  all  the  insect-eating  animals, 
there  is  none  wdiich  is  better  known 
by  name  than  the  Common  Mole, 
and  very  few  which  are  less  known 
^y^^. ..-_.  ^  ^        l^y  their  true  character. 

The  Mole  {Td^a  Europcea).  "  On  inspecting  a  living  Mole  that 

has  been  captured  on  the  surface  of  earth,  and  comparing  it  with  the 
multitudinous  creatures  that  find  their  subsistence  on  the  earth's  sur- 
face, rejoicing  in  the  full  light  of  day,  and  free  to  wander  as  they  please, 
we  cannot  but  feel  some  emotions  of  surprise  at  the  sight  of  a  creature 
which  is  naturally  debarred  from  all  these  sources  of  gratification,  and 
which  passes  its  life  in  darkness  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


SENSES  OF  THE  MOLE.  123 

Yet  this  pity,  natural  though  it  be,  will  be  entirely  thrown  away,  for 
there  is  scarcely  any  creature  that  lives  which  is  better  fitted  for  enjoy- 
ment, or  which  is  urged  by  more  fiery  passions.  Dull  and  harmless  as 
it  may  appear  to  be,  it  is  in  reality  one  of  the  most  ferocious  animals 
in  ^existence,  and  will  engage  in  the  fiercest  combats  upon  very  slight 
provocation.  While  thus  employed,  its  whole  faculties  are  so  entirely 
absorbed  in  its  thirst  for  revenge  that  it  will  leave  the  subterraneous 
shafts  which  it  has  been  so  busily  excavating,  and  join  battle  with  its 
foe  in  the  full  light  of  day.  Should  one  of  the  combatants  overpower 
and  kill  the  other,  the  victorious  Mole  springs  upon  the  vanquished 
enemy,  tears  its  body  open,  and,  eagerly  plunging  its  nose  into  the 
wound,  drinks  the  blood  of  its  slaughtered  enemy,  and  feasts  richly  on 
the  sanguine  banquet. 

With  the  exception  of  sight,  the  senses  of  the  Mole  seem  to  be  re- 
markably developed. 

The  sense  of  smell  is  singularly  acute,  and  enables  the  animal  to  dis- 
cover the  presence  of  the  earthworms  on  which  it  feeds,  and  to  chase 
them  successfully  through  their  subterrauean  meanderings. 

The  hearing  of  the  Mole  is  proverbially  excellent ;  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  animal  is  aided  in  its  pursuit  of  worms  by  the  sense  of  hear- 
ing as  well  as  by  that  of  smell.  Much  of  the  Mole's  safety  is  prob- 
ably owing  to  its  exquisite  hearing,  which  gives  it  timely  notice  of  the 
approach  of  any  living  being,  and  enables  it  to  secure  itself  by  rapidly 
sinking  below  the  surface  of  the  earth.  "To  tread  so  softly  that  the 
blind  Mole  may  not  hear  a  footfiill "  is  an  expression  which  has  become 
a  household  word. 

The  sense  of  touch  is  peculiarly  delicate,  and  seems  to  be  chiefly  res- 
ident in  the  long  and  flexible  nose,  which  is  employed  by  the  Mole  for 
other  purposes  than  that  of  scent.  When  the  creature  is  placed  upon 
the  surflice  of  the  ground,  and  is  about  to  sink  one  of  its  far-famed  tun- 
nels, it  employs  its  nose  for  that  purpose  almost  as  effectually  as  its 
armed  fore-paws. 

It  seldom  happens  that  all  the  senses  of  an  animal  are  developed  to 
an  equal  extent,  so  that  where  one  or  two  are  singularly  acute,  it  is 
generally  at  the  expense  of  the  others.  Such  is  the  case  with  the 
Mole ;  for,  although  the  scent,  touch,  and  hearing  are  remarkable  for 
their  excellence,  the  sight  is  so  extremely  defective  that  it  may  almost 
be  considered  as  a  nullity.  It  is  true  that  the  Mole  possesses  eyes ;  but 
those  organs  of  vision  are  so  small,  and  so  deeply  hidden  in  the  fur,  that 
they  can  be  of  but  little  use  to  the  owner,  except  to  mark  the  distinc- 
tions between  light  and  darkness.  The  eyes  are  so  exceedingly  small 
that  their  very  existence  has  been  denied,  and  it  is  only  by  a  careful 
search  that  they  can  be  seen  at  all. 

The  fore-paws  are  extremely  large,  and  furnished  with  strong  and 


124  HABITS  OF  THE  MOLE. 

flattened  nails.  They  are  turned  rather  obliquely,  as  seen  in  the  figure, 
in  order  to  give  free  scope  to  their  exertions.  The  paws  are  devoid  of 
the  soft  fur  that  shields  the  rest  of  the  body,  and  are  covered  with  9 
thick  but  naked  skin.  It  is  chiefly  to  these  paws  that  any  mould  is 
found  adherent  when  the  Mole  is  captured,  for  the  soft  and  velvet-like 
fur  permits  no  earthy  stain  to  defile  its  glossy  smoothness. 

The  Mole  is  said  to  be  an  excellent  swimmer,  and  to  be  able  to  cross 
rivers  when  led  to  such  an  act  by  any  adequately  powerful  motive. 
How  far  true  this  assertion  may  be  I  cannot  prove  by  personal  experi- 
ence ;  but  I  think  it  is  likely  to  be  possible,  for  I  have  seen  a  Mole  swim 
across  the  bend  of  a  brook — a  distance  of  some  few  yards — and  perform 
its  natatory  achievement  with  great  ease.  I  was  not  near  enough  to 
ascertain  the  mode  of  its  progression,  but  it  seemed  to  use  its  fore-paws 
as  the  principal  instruments  of  locomotion.  This  circumstance  took 
place  in  Wiltshire. 

From  all  accounts,  the  Mole  seems  to  be  a  thirsty  animal,  and  to 
stand  in  constant  need  of  water,  drinking  every  few  hours  in  the  course 
of  the  day.  In  order  to  supply  this  want  it  is  in  the  habit  of  sinking 
well-like  pits  in  different  parts  of  its  "  runs,"  so  that  it  may  never  be 
without  the  means  of  quenching  its  thirst.  Everything  that  the  Mole 
does  is  marked  with  that  air  of  desperate  energy  which  is  so  character- 
istic of  the  animal.  The  laborers  in  different  parts  of  England  all  unite 
in  the  same  story,  that  the  Mole  works  for  three  hours  "  like  a  horse," 
and  then  rests  for  three  hours,  laboring  and  resting  alternately  through 
the  day,  and  with  admirable  perception  of  time. 

The  Avell-known  "  mole-hills,"  which  stud  certain  lands,  and  which 
disfigure  them  so  sadly,  however  much  their  unsightliness  may  be  com- 
pensated by  their  real  usefulness,  are  of  various  kinds,  according  to  the 
sex  and  age  of  the  miner.  The  small  hillocks  which  follow  each  other 
in  rapid  succession  are  generally  made  by  the  female  Mole  before  she 
has  produced  her  little  family,  and  when  she  is  not  able  to  undergo  the 
great  labor  of  digging  in  the  harder  soil.  Sometimes  the  "  run  "  is  so 
shallow  as  to  permit  the  superincumbent  earth  to  fall  in,  so  that  the 
course  which  the  Mole  has  followed  is  little  more  than  a  trench.  This 
is  said  to  be  produced  by  the  little  coquetries  that  take  place  between 
the  Mole  and  its  future  mate,  when  the  one  flies  in  simulated  terror,  and 
the  other  follows  with  undisguised  determination.  Deeper  in  the  soil 
is  often  found  a  very  large  burrow,  sufficiently  wide  to  permit  two 
Moles  to  pass  each  other.  This  is  one  of  the 'high-roads  which  lead 
from  one  feeding-ground  to  another,  and  from  which  the  different 
shafts  radiate. 

But  the  finest  efforts  of  talpine  architecture  are  to  be  found  in  the 
central  fortress,  from  which  the  various  roads  diverge,  and  the  nest 
which  the  maternal  Mole  forms  for  the  security  of  her  young. 


ITS  FOKTEESS  AND  NEST.  125 

The  fortress  is  of  a  very  peculiar  construction,  and  is  calculated  to 
permit  the  ingress  or  egress  of  the  Mole  from  almost  any  direction,  so 
that  when  its  acute  senses  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  it 
can  make  its  retreat  without  difficulty. 

The  first  operation  is  to  build  a  tolerably  large  hill  of  compact  and 
well-trodden  earth.  Near  the  summit  of  this  mound  the  excavator 
runs  a  circular  gallery,  and  another  near  the  bottom,  connecting  the 
two  galleries  with  five  short  passages.  It  then  burrows  into  the  centre 
of  the  mound,  and  digs  a  moderately  large  spherical  hole,  which  it 
connects  with  the  lower  gallery  by  three  passages.  A  very  large  pas- 
sage, which  is  a  continuation-  of  the  high-road,  is  then  driven  into  the 
spherical  chamber  by  dipping  under  the  lower  gallery,  and  is  connected 
with  the  circular  chamber  from  below.  Lastly,  the  Mole  drives  a 
great  number  of  runs,  which  radiate  from  the  rest  in  all  directions,  and 
which  "all  open  into  the  lower  circular  gallery.  It  will  be  seen,  from 
this  short  description,  that  if  a  Mole  should  be  surprised  in  its  nest,  it 
can  withdraw  throuo^h  its  central  chamber  and  so  reach  the  hio^h-road 
at  once,  or  can  slip  through  either  of  the  short  connecting  galleries  and 
escape  into  any  of  the  numerous  radiatory  runs. 

In  the  central  or  middle  chamber  of  the  edifice  the  Mole  places  a 
quantity  of  dried  grass  or  leaves,  upon  which  it  sleeps  during  its  hours 
of  repose.  This  complicated  room  is  seldom  used  during  the  summer 
months,  as  at  that  time  the  Mole  prefers  to  live  in  one  of  the  ordinary 
hillocks. 

The  nest  which  the  female  contrives  is  not  so  complicated  as  the 
fortress,  but  is  well  adapted  for  its  purpose.  The  hillock  in  which  the 
nest  is  made  is  always  a  very  large  one,  and  is  generally  placed  at  some 
distance  from  the  fortress.  Its  interior  is  very  large,  and  is  generally 
filled  with  dried  grass,  moss,  or  other  similar  substances,  and  it  is  said 
that  in  some  of  these  nests  have  been  found  certain  roots  on  which  the 
young  Moles  can  feed.  This  statement,  however,  is  scarcely  credible. 
The  young  are  usually  born  about  April,  but  their  appearance  in  the 
world  is  not  so  determinately  settled  as  that  of  many  animals,  as  young 
Moles  are  found  continually  from  March  until  August.  The  average 
of  their  number  is  four  or  five,  although  as  many  as  seven  young  have 
been  found  in  one  nest.     There  is  but  one  brood  in  a  year. 

The  color  of  the  Mole  is  usually  of  a  blackish  gray,  but  it  is  extremely 
variable  in  the  tinting  of  its  fur,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  in  a 
single  locality  specimens  of  every  hue  from  brown  to  white.  There  are 
specimens  in  the  British  Museum  of  almost  every  tint,  and  I  have  long 
had  in  my  possession  a  cream-colored  mole-skin,  which  was  obtained,  I 
believe,  in  Wiltshire,  as  it  was  furnished  by  a  mole-catcher  that  resided 
in  that  county.  The  fur  is  so  beautifully  smooth  and  soft  that  it  has 
sometimes,  though  rarely,  been  employed  as  an  article  of  wearing  ap- 
11* 


126  THE  MUSK  EAT  AND  THE  SHREW  MOUSE. 

parel,  or  used  as  a  light  and  delicate  coverlet.  The  fur,  or  "  felt,"  is 
best  and  most  glossy  if  the  animal  is  taken  in  the  winter. 

Passing  in  a  regular  gradation  from  the  moles  to  the  shrews  and 
hedgehogs,  we  pause  for  a  while  at  the  powerfully-scented  animal  that 
is  called,  by  virtue  of  its  perfumed  person,  the  Musk  Eat  of  India,  and 
is  also  known  by  the  titles  of  Mondjourou  and  Sondeli. 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  various  parts  of  India,  and  is  very  well 
known  on  account  of  the  extremely  powerful  scent  which  exudes  from 
certain  glands  that  are  situated  in  the  under  parts  of  the  body  and  on 
the  flanks. 

The  odoriferous  substance  which  is  secreted  by  the  above-mentioned 
glands  is  of  a  musky  nature,  and  possesses  the  property  of  penetrating 
and  adhering  to  every  substance  over  which  the  Musk  Rat  has  passed. 
The  musky  odor  clings  so  pertinaciously  to  the  objects  which  are  im- 
pregnated with  its  tainting  contact  that  in  many  cases  they  become 
entirely  useless.  Provisions  of  all  kinds  are  frequently  spoiled  by  the 
evil  odor  with  which  they  are  saturated ;  and  of  so  penetrating  a  na- 
ture is  the  musky  scent  that  the  combined  powers  of  glass  and  cork 
are  unable  to  preserve  the  contents  of  bottles  from  its  unpleasant  in- 
fluence. Let  a  Sondeli  but  run  over  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  the  con- 
tained liquid  will  be  so  powerfully  scented  with  a  musky  savor  that 
it  will  be  rendered  unfit  for  civilized  palates,  and  must  be  removed 
from  the  neighborhood  of  other  wines,  lest  the  contaminating  influence 
should  extend  to  them  also. 

In  color  it  is  not  unlike  the  common  shrew  of  England,  having  a 
slight  chestnut  or  reddish  tinge,  upon  a  mouse-colored  ground,  fading 
into  gray  on  the  under  parts  of  the  body.  In  size,  however,  it  is  much 
the  superior  of  that  animal,  being  nearly  as  large  as  the  common  brown 
or  "  Hanoverian  "  rat.  The  hair  is  very  short,  and  the  peculiar  red- 
dish-brown hue  of  the  fur  is  caused  by  the  diflTerent  tintings  of  the 
upper  and  under  fur. 

During  the  autumnal  months  of  the  year,  the  country  roads  and  by- 
paths are  frequently  rendered  remarkable  by  the  presence  of  little 
mouse-like  animals,  with  long  snouts,  that  lie  dead  upon  the  ground, 
without  mark  of  external  injury  to  account  for  the  manner  of  their 
decease. 

These  are  the  bodies  of  the  Shrew  Mouse  of  England,  otherwise 
known  by  the  name  of  Erd  Shrew. 

The  head  of  the  Shrew  is  rather  long,  and  its  apparent  length  is  in- 
creased by  the  long  and  flexible  nose  which  gives  so  peculiar  an  aspect 
to  the  animal,  and  serves  to  distinguish  it  at  a  glance  from  the  com- 
mon mouse,  which  it  so  nearly  resembles  in  general  shape  and  color. 
The  object  of  this  elongated  nose  is  supposed  to  be  for  the  purpose  of 
enabling  the  animal  to  root  in  the  ground  after  the  various  creatures 


THE  WATEK  SHREW.  127 

on  which  it  feeds,  or  to  thrust  its  head  among  the  densest  and  closest 
herbage.  Many  insects  and  their  hirvse  are  found  in  such  localities, 
and  it  is  upon  such  food  that  the  Shrew  chiefly  subsists.  Worms  are 
also  captured  and  eaten  by  the  Shrew,  which  in  many  of  its  habits  is 
not  unlike  the  mole. 

The  bite  of  the  Shrew  is  so  insignificant  as  to  make  hardly  any  im- 
press even  on  the  delicate  skin  of  the  human  hand.  Popular  prej- 
udice, however,  here  steps  in,  and  attributes  to  the  bite  of  the  Shrew 
such  venomous  properties  that  in  many  districts  of  England  the  viper 
is  less  feared  than  the  little  harmless  Shrew. 

The  very  touch  of  the  Shrew's  foot  is  considered  a  certain  herald  of 
evil,  and  animals  or  men  which  had  been  "  shrew-struck  "  were  sup- 
posed to  labor  under  a  malady  which  was  incurable  except  by  a  rather 
singular  remedy,  which  partakes  somewhat  of  a  homoeopathic  j^rinciple, 
that  "similia  similibus  curantur." 

The  curative  power  which  alone  could  heal  the  shrew-stroke  lay  in 
the  branches  of  a  shrew-ash,  or  an  ash  tree  which  had  been  imbued 
with  the  shrewish  nature  by  a  very  simple  process.  A  living  Shrew 
was  captured  and  carried  to  the  ash  tree  which  was  intended  to  receive 
the  healing  virtues.  An  auger-hole  was  made  in  the  trunk,  the  poor 
Shrew  was  introduced  into  the  cavity,  and  the  auger-hole  closed  by  a 
wooden  plug.  Fortunately  for  the  wretched  little  prisoner,  the  entire 
want  of  air  would  almost  immediately  cause  its  death.  But  were  its 
little  life  to  linger  for  ever  so  long  a  time  in  the  ash  trunk,  its  incarcer- 
ation would  still  have  taken  place,  for  where  superstition  raises  its  cruel 
head  humanity  is  banished. 

The  nest  of  the  Shrew  is  not  made  in  the  burrow,  as  might  be  sup- 
posed, but  is  built  in  a  suitable  depression  in  the  ground,  or  in  a  hole 
in  a  bank.  It  is  made  of  leaves  and  other  similar  substances,  and  is 
entered  through  a  hole  at  the  side.  In  this  nest  are  produced  the 
young  Shrews,  from  five  to  seven  in  number,  and,  as  may  be  imag- 
ined, extremely  diminutive  in  size.  They  are  generally  born  in  the 
spring. 

The  total  length  of  the  adult  Shrew  is  not  quite  four  inches,  of  which 
the  tail  occupies  very  nearly  the  moiety. 

Similar  to  the  Erd  Shrew  in  general  aspect,  but  easily  to  be  distin- 
guished from  that  animal  by  its  color  and  other  peculiarities,  the 
Water  Shrew  stands  next  on  our  list. 

The  fur  of  the  Water  Shrew  is  nearly  black  upon  the  upper  portions 
of  the  body,  instead  of  the  reddish-brown  color  which  tints  the  fur  of 
the  Erd  Shrew.  The  under  parts  of  the  body  are  beautifully  white, 
and  the  line  of  demarcation  between  the  two  colors  is  very  distinctly 
drawn.  The  fur  is  very  soft  and  silken  in  texture,  and,  when  the 
animal  is  submerged  under  the  surface  of  the  water,  possesses  the  use- 


128  THE  OAKED  SHREW. 

fill  property  of  repelling  moisture  and   preserving  the  body  of  the 
animal  from  the  injurious  effects  of  the  water. 

When  the  Water  Shrew  is  engaged  in  swimming,  those  parts  of  the 
fur  which  are  submerged  below  the  surface  appear  to  be  studded  with 
an  infinite  number  of  tiny  silver  beadlets,  that  give  to  the  whole  animal 
a  very  singular  aspect.  This  phenomenon  is  produced  by  the  minute 
air-bubbles  that  cling  to  the  fur,  and  which  exude  from  the  space  that 
is  left  between  the  hairs.  In  fact,  the  Shrew  Mouse,  when  immersed, 
bears  a  curious  resemblance  to  the  well-known  water  spider. 

A  further  distinction,  and  one  which  is  more  valuable  than  that 
which  is  furnished  by  the  color  of  the  fur,  is  the  fringe  of  stiff  white 
hairs  which  edges  the  tail  and  the  toes. 

In  all  its  movements  the  Water  Shrew  is  extremely  graceful  and 
active,  displaying  equal  agility  whether  its  movements  be  terrestrial 
or  aquatic. 

I  have  repeatedly  observed  the  proceedings  of  a  little  colony  of  these 
animals,  and  was  able  to  sit  within  a  yard  or  two  of  their  haunts  with- 
out their  cognizance  of  my  person.  They  are  most  sportive  little 
creatures,  and  seem  to  enjoy  a  game  of  play  with  thorough  apprecia- 
tion, chasing  each  other  over  the  ground  and  through  the  water, 
running  up  the  stems  of  aquatic  plants,  and  tumbling  off  the  leaves 
into  the  water,  scrambling  hastily  over  the  stones  around  which  the 
stream  ripples,  and  playing  a  thousand  little  pranks  with  the  most 
evident  enjoyment.  Then  they  will  suddenly  cease  their  play,  and 
begin  to  search  after  insects  with  the  utmost  gravity,  rooting  in  the 
banks  and  picking  up  stray  flies,  as  if  they  never  had  any  other  busi- 
ness in  view. 

From  repeated  observations,  it  seems  that  the  Water  Shrew  is  not 
entirely  confined  to  the  neighborhood  of  water,  neither  is  it  totally 
dependent  for  its  subsistence  on  aquatic  insects,  for  it  has  been  frequently 
seen  at  some  distance  from  any  stream  or  pond.  It  must  be  remarked, - 
however,  that  a  very  small  rivulet  is  amply  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of 
the  Water  Shrew%  which  will  take  up  its  residence  for  several  years  in 
succession  on  the  banks  of  a  little  artificial  channel  that  is  used  only 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  water  for  the  irrigation  of  low-lying 
fields. 

The  largest  of  the  British  Shrews  is  that  species  which  is  called  the 
Oared  Shrew,  on  account  of  the  oar-like  formation  of  the  feet  and 
tail,  which  are  edged  with  even  longer  and  stiffer  hairs  than  those 
which  decorate  the  same  parts  in  the  Water  Shrew. 

As  may  be  imagined  from  this  structure,  the  habits  of  the  animal 
are  aquatic  in  their  nature^  and  its  manners  are  so  closely  similar  to 
those  of  the  preceding  species  that  it  may  easily  be  mistaken  for  that 
animal,  when  seen  at  a  little  distance,  so  as  to  render  the  difference  in 


COLOR  OF  THE  SHREWS. 


129 


size  less  conspicuous,  and  the  color  of  the  under  portions  of  the  body 
less  apparent. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  back  of  the  Water  Shrew  is  of 
a  velvety  black,  and  the  abdomen  and  under  portions  of  the  body  of 


The  Common  Oared  and  Water  Shrews  (G^ossopus  cUiatus). 

a  beautiful  and  clearly-defined  white.  In  the  Oared  Shrew,  however, 
the  black  is  profusely  sprinkled  with  white  hairs,  and  the  fur  of  the 
abdomen  and  flanks  is  blackish  gray  instead  of  pure  white.  The 
middle  of  the  abdomen,  however,  together  with  that  of  the  throat,  is 
strongly  tinged  with  yellow,  the  throat  being  more  of  an  ashy  yellow 
than  the  abdomen. 

Although  not  so  common  as  the  Erd  and  the  Water  Shrew,  it  is  of 
more  frequent  occurrence  than  is  generally  supposed,  and  has  been 
found  in  many  parts  of  England  where  it  was  formerly  supposed  to 
be  wanting.  The  total  length  of  the  Oared  Shrew  is  about  five  inches 
and  a  quarter,  the  head  and  body  measuring  rather  more  than  three 
inches,  and  the  tail  about  two  inches.  Its  nose  is  not  quite  so  sharp  or 
narrow  as  that  of  the  Water  Shrew,  and  the  ears  are  decorated  with  a 
slight  fringe  of  white  hair.  The  latter  third  of  the  tail  is  flattened,  as 
if  for  swimming,  while  the  remaining  two-thirds  are  nearly  cylindrical, 
but  are  slightly  squared,  as  has  already  been  mentioned  of  the  common 
Shrew. 

T 


130 


THE  ELEPHANT  SHREW. 


The  elongation  of  the  nose,  which  has  already  been  noticed  in  the 
Tupaias  of  Sumatra,  seems  to  have  reached  the  utmost  limit  in  those 
curious  inhabitants  of  the  Cape  that  are  called,  from  their  elephantine 
elongation  of  nose,  the  Elephant  Shrews.  Several  species  of 
Elephant  Shrews  are  known  to  exist,  all  of  which,  with  one  exception, 
are  inhabitants  of  Southern  Africa.  The  solitary  exception,  MacrosceUdes 
Boretti,  is  found  in  Algeria. 

The  peculiarly  long  nose  of  the  Elephant  Shrew  is  perforated  at  its 
extremity  by  the  nostrils,  which  are  rather  obliquely  placed,  and  is  sup- 


Elephant  Shrews  {MacrosceUdes  Froboscideus). 

posed  to  aid  the  animal  in  its  search  after  the  insects  and  other  crea- 
tures on  which  it  feeds.  The  eyes  are  rather  large  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  animal. 

The  tail  is  long  and  slender,  much  resembling  the  same  organ  in  the 
common  mouse,  and  in  some  specimens,  probably  males,  is  furnished  at 
the  base  with  glandular  follicles,  or  little  sacs.  The  legs  are  nearly  of 
equal  size,  but  the  hinder  limbs  are  much  longer  than  the  fore-legs,  on 
account  of  the  very  great  length  of  the  feet,  which  are  capable  of  afford- 
ing support  to  the  creature  as  it  sits  in  an  upright  position.  As  might 
be  presumed  from  the  great  length  of  the  hinder  limbs,  the  Elephant 
Shrew  is  possessed  of  great  locomotive  powers,  and  when  alarmed  can 
skim  over  the  ground  with  such  celerity  that  its  form  becomes  quite  ob- 


THE  PEN-TAIL  AND  THE  HEDGEHOa.  131 

scared  by  the  rapidity  of  its  movement  through  the  air.  Its  food  con- 
sists of  insects,  which  it  captures  iu  open  day. 

Although  the  Elephant  Shrew  is  a  diurnal  animal,  seeking  its  prey 
in  broad  daylight,  its  habitation  is  made  below  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
and  consists  of  a  deep  and  tortuous  burrow,  the  entrance  to  which  is  a 
perpendicularly-sunk  shaft  of  some  little  depth.  To  this  place  of  refuge 
the  creature  always  flies  when  alarmed,  and,  as  it  is  so  exceedingly  swift 
in  its  movements,  it  is  not  readily  captured  or  intercepted. 

The  color  of  the  fur  is  a  dark  and  rather  cloudy  brown,  which  is 
warmed  with  a  reddish  tinge  upon  the  side  and  flanks,  and  fades  on 
the  abdomen  and  inner  portions  of  the  limbs  into  a  grayish-white.  The 
generic  name,  3facroseelides,  is  of  Greek  origin,  in  allusion  to  the  great 
length  of  its  hinder  limbs,  and  signifies  "  long-legged."  It  is  but  a  small 
animal,  as  the  length  of  the  head  and  body  is  not  quite  four  inches  in 
measurement,  and  the  tail  is  about  three  inches  and  a  quarter. 

The  extraordinary  animal  which  has  been  recently  brought  before 
the  notice  of  zoologists,  under  the  characteristic  name  of  Pen-tail,  is 
a  native  of  Borneo,  from  which  country  it  was  brought  by  Mr.  Hugh 
Low. 

It  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  rat,  but  appears  to  be  of  greater  di- 
mensions on  account  of  its  extremely  long  tail  with  the  remarkable 
appendage  at  its  extremity.  The  tail  is  of  extraordinary  length  when 
compared  with  the  size  of  the  body,  and  is  devoid  of  hair  except  at  its 
extremity,  where  it  is  furnished  with  a  double  row  of  stiff*  hairs  on  each 
side,  which  stand  boldly  out  like  the  barbs  of  a  quill  pen  or  the  feathers 
of  an  arrow.  The  remainder  of  the  tail  is  covered  with  scales,  which 
are  square  in  their  form,  like  those  of  the  long-tailed  rats,  and  of  con- 
siderable size.  The  color  of  the  tail  is  black,  and  the  bristly  barbs  are 
white,  so  that  this  member  presents  a  peculiarly  quaint  aspect. 

The  fur  which  covers  the  body  of  the  Pen-tail  is  extremely  soft  in 
texture,  and  is  of  a  blackish-brown  tint  above,  fading  into  a  yellowish 
gray  beneath.  As  the  tips  of  the  hair  are  tinged  with  a  yellow  hue, 
the  precise  tint  of  the  fur  is  rather  indeterminate,  and  is  changeable  ac- 
cording to  the  position  of  the  hairs  which  are  exposed  to  view.  The 
specimen  which  is  preserved  in  the  British  Museum  was  captured  by 
Mr.  Low  in  the  house  of  Sir  James  Brook,  the  first  rajah  of  Sarawak. 

The  common  Hedgehog,  Hedgepig,  or  Urchin,  is  one  of  the  most 
familiar  of  English  indigenous  mammalia,  being  found  in  every  part  of 
Great  Britain  which  is  capable  of  affording  food  and  shelter. 

The  hard  round  spines  which  cover  the  upper  part  of  its  body  are 
about  an  inch  in  length,  and  of  a  rather  peculiar  shape.  This  form 
is  wonderfully  adapted  to  meet  the  peculiar  objects  which  the  spine  is 
intended  to  fulfil,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  following  account. 

The  spines  assume  a  nearly  horizontal  position  upon  the  back  of  the 


132 


SPINES  OF  THE  HEDGEHOG. 


animal  whenever  it  chooses  to  relax  .the  peculiar  muscles  which  govern 
them,  and  which  serve  to  retain  the  creature  in  its  coiled  attitude.  The 
point  of  the  quill  or  spine  is  directed  toward  the  tail.  The  quill  is  not 
unlike  a  large  pin,  being  sharply  pointed  at  one  extremity,  furnished 
at  the  other  with  a  round  bead-like  head,  and  rather  abruptly  bent 
near  this  head.  If  the  skin  be  removed  from  the  Hedgehog,  the 
quills  are  seen  to  be  pinned,  as  it  were,  through  the  skin,  being  retained 


The  Hedgehog  {Erinuceus  Europceus). 

by  their  round  heads,  which  are  acted  upon  by  the  peculiar  muscles 
which  have  already  been  mentioned. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  whenever  the  head  of  the  quill  is  drawn 
backward  by  the  contraction  of  the  muscle,  the  point  of  the  quill  is 
erected  in  proportion  to  the  force  which  is  exerted  upon  the  head,  so 
that  when  the  animal  is  rolled  up,  and  the  greatest  tension  is  employed, 
the  quills  stand  boldly  out  from  the  body,  and  present  the  bayonet-like 
array  of  points  in  every  direction. 

These  curiously-formed  spines  are  useful  to  the  Hedgehog  for  other 
purposes  than  the  very  obvious  one  of  protecting  the  creature  from  the 
attacks  of  its  foe.  They  are  extremely  elastic,  as  is  found  to  be  the 
case  with  hairs  and  quills  of  all  descriptions,  and  the  natural  elasticity 
is  increased  by  the  sharp  curve  into  which  they  are  bent  at  their  inser- 
tion into  the  skin.  Protected  by  this  defence,  the  Hedgehog  is  enabled 
to  throw  itself  from  considerable  heights,  to  curl  itself  into  a  ball  as  it 
descends,  and  to  reach  the  ground  without  suffering  any  harm  from  its 
fall.  A  Hedgehog  has  been  seen  repeatedly  to  throw  itself  from  a 
wall,  some  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  in  height,  and  to  fall  upon  the  hard 
ground  without  appearing  to  be  even  inconvenienced  by  its  tumble.  On 
reaching  the  ground  it  would  unroll  itself  and  trot  off  with  perfect  un- 
concern. 

Marching  securely  under  the  guardianship  of  its  thorn-spiked  armor, 


ITS  FOES.  133 

the  Hedgehog  recks  little  of  any  foe,  save  man.  For,  with  this  single 
exception,  there  are,  in  England  at  least,  no  enemies  that  need  be 
dreaded  by  so  well-protected  an  animal.  Dogs,  foxes,  and  cats  are 
the  only  creatures  which  possess  the  capability  of  killing  and  eating 
the  Hedgehog,  and  of  these  foes  it  is  very  little  afraid.  For  dogs  are 
but  seldom  abroad  at  night  while  the  Hedgehog  is  engaged  in  its  noc- 
turnal quests  after  food ;  and  the  fox  would  not  be  foolish  enough  to 
waste  its  time  and  prick  its  nose  in  weary  endeavors  to  force  its  in- 
tended prey  out  of  its  defences.  Cats,  too,  are  even  less  adapted  to 
such  a  proceeding  than  dogs  and  foxes. 

It  is  indeed  said  that  the  native  cunning  of  the  Fox  enables  it  to 
overreach  the  Hedgehog,  and  to  induce  it  to  unroll  itself  by  an  ingeni- 
ous, but,  I  fear,  an  apocryphal,  process.  Reynard  is  said,  whenever  he 
finds  a  coiled-up  Hedgehog,  to  roll  it  over  and  over  with  his  paw  toward 
some  runnel,  pond,  or  puddle,  and  then  to  souse  it  unexpectedly  into 
the  water.  The  Hedgehog,  fearing  that  it  is  going  to  be  drowned, 
straightway  unrolls  itself,  and  is  immediately  pounced  on  by  the  cun- 
ning fox,  which  crushes  its  head  with  a  single  bite,  and  eats  it  after- 
ward at  leisure.  In  America  the  puma  is  said  to  eat  the  Hedgehog 
in  a  very  curious  manner.  Seizing  the  animal  by  the  head,  it  gradu- 
ally draws  the  animal  through  its  teeth,  swallowing  the  body  and  strip- 
ping off  the  skin. 

Man,  however,  troubles  himself  very  little  about  the  Hedgehog's 
prickles,  and,  when  disposed  to  such  a  diet,  kills,  cooks,  and  eats  it 
without  hesitation. 

The  legitimate  mode  of  proceeding  is  to  kill  the  animal  by  a  blow 
on  the  head,  and  then  to  envelop  it,  without  removing  the  skin,  in  a 
thick  layer  of  well-kneaded  clay.  The  enwrapped  Hedgehog  is  then 
placed  on  the  fire,  being  carefully  turned  by  the  cook  at  proper  inter- 
vals, and  there  remains  until  the  clay  is  perfectly  dry  and  begins  to 
crack.  When  this  event  has  taken  place,  the  cooking  is  considered  to 
be  complete,  and  the  animal  is  removed  from  the  fire.  The  clay  cover- 
ing is  then  broken  ofi*,  and  carries  away  with  it  the  whole  of  the  skin, 
which  is  adherent  by  means  of  the  prickles.  By  this  mode  of  cookery 
the  juices  are  preserved,  and  the  result  is  pronounced  to  be  supremely 
excellent. 

This  primitive  but  admirable  form  of  cookery  is  almost  entirely  con- 
fined to  gipsies  and  other  wanderers,  as  in  these  days  there  are  few  civ- 
ilized persons  who  would  condescend  to  partake  of  such  a  diet.  Util- 
itarians, however,  can  render  the  creature  subservient  to  their  purposes 
by  using  it  as  a  guardian  to  their  kitchens.  Its  insect-devouring  pow- 
ers are  of  such  a  nature  that  it  can  be  made  a  most  useful  inhabitant 
of  the  house,  and  set  in  charge  of  the  "  black  beetles." 

The  rapidity  with  which  it  extirpates  the  cockroaches  is  most  mar- 

12 


134  A  TAME  HEDGEHOG. 

vellous,  for  their  speed  and  wariness  are  so  great  that  the  Hedgehog 
must  possess  no  small  amount  of  both  qualities  in  order  to  destroy 
them  so  easily.  A  Hedgehog  which  resided  for  some  years  in  our 
house  was  accustomed  to  pass  a  somewhat  nomad  existence,  for  as  soon 
as  it  had  eaten  all  the  cockroaches  in  our  kitchen  it  used  to  be  lent  to 
a  friend,  to  whom  it  performed  the  same  valuable  service.  In  a  few 
months  those  tiresome  insects  had  again  multiplied,  and  the  Hedgehog 
was  restored  to  its  former  habitation. 

The  creature  was  marvellously  tame,  and  would  come  at  any  time 
to  a  saucer  of  milk  in  broad  daylight.  Sometimes  it  took  a  fancy  to 
promenading  the  garden,  when  it  would  trot  along  in  its  own  quaint 
style,  poking  its  sharp  nose  into  every  crevice,  and  turning  over  every 
fallen  leaf  that  lay  in  its  path.  If  it  heard  a  strange  step,  it  would 
immediately  curl  itself  into  a  ball,  and  lie  in  that  posture  for  a  few 
minutes  until  its  alarm  had  passed  away,  when  it  would  cautiously  un- 
roll itself,  and  peer  about  with  its  bead-like  eyes  for  a  moment  or  two, 
and  then  resume  its  progress. 

From  all  appearances  it  might  have  lived  for  many  years  had  it  not 
come  by  its  death  in  a  rather  singular  manner.  There  was  a  wood- 
shed in  the  kitchen-garden,  where  the  bean  and  pea  sticks  were  laid 
up  in  ordinary  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  it  seemed,  for 
some  unknown  reason,  to  afford  a  marvellous  attraction  to  the  Hedge- 
hog. So  partial  to  this  locality  was  the  creature  that  whenever  it  was 
missing  we  were  nearly  sure  to  find  it  among  the  bean-sticks  in  the 
wood-shed.  One  morning,  however,  on  searching  for  the  animal,  in 
consequence  of  having  missed  its  presence  for  some  days,  we  found  it 
hanging  by  its  neck  in  the  fork  of  a  stick,  and  quite  dead.  The  poor 
creature  had  probably  slipped  while  climbing  among  the  sticks,  and 
had  been  caught  by  the  neck  in  the  bifurcation. 

The  Hedgehog  is  accused  of  stealing  and  breaking  eggs,  to  which 
indictment  it  can  but  plead  guilty. 

It  is  very  ingenious  in  its  method  of  opening  and  eating  eggs — a  feat 
which  it  performs  without  losing  any  of  the  golden  contents.  Instead 
of  breaking  the  shell  and  running  the  chance  of  permitting  the  con- 
tents to  roll  out,  the  clever  animal  lays  the  egg  on  the  ground,  holds 
it  firmly  between  its  fore-feet,  bites  a  hole  in  the  upper  portion  of  the 
shell,  and,  inserting  its  tongue  into  the  orifice,  licks  out  the  contents 
daintily. 

Not  contenting  itself  with  such  comparatively  meagre  diet  as  eggs, 
the  Hedgehog  is  a  great  destroyer  of  snakes,  frogs,  and  other  animals, 
crunching  them  together  with  their  bones  as  easily  as  a  horse  will  eat 
a  carrot.  Even  the  thick  bone  of  a  mutton-chop,  or  the  big  bone  of 
the  fish,  is  splintered  by  the  Hedgehog's  teeth  with  marvellous  ease. 
On  one  account  it  is  rather  a  valuable  animal,  for  it  will  attack  a  viper 


HOME  OF  THE  HEDGEHOG.  135 

as  readily  as  a  grass-snake,  trusting  apparently  to  its  prickly  armor  as 
a  defence  against  the  serpent's  fangs. 

Whether,  in  its  wild  state,  it  is  able  to  catch  the  little  birds,  is  not 
accurately  known,  but  in  captivity  it  eats  finches  and  other  little  birds 
with  great  voracity.  One  of  these  animals,  that  was  kept  in  a  state  of 
domestication,  ate  no  less  than  seven  sparrof\vs  in  the  course  of  a  single 
night,  and  another  crushed  and  ate  in  the  course  of  twenty-four  hours 
more  than  as  many  sparrow-heads,  eating  bones,  bill,  and  neck  with 
equal  ease. 

Its  legitimate  prey  is  found  among  the  insect  tribe,  of  which  it  con- 
sumes vast  numbers,  being  able  not  only  to  chase  and  capture  those 
which  run  upon  the  ground,  but  even  to  dig  in  the  earth  and  feed 
upon  the  grubs,  worms,  and  various  larvse  which  pass  their  lives  be- 
neath the  surface  of  the  ground.  A  Hedgehog  has  been  seen  to 
exhume  the  nest  of  the  bumblebee,  which  had  been  placed  in  a  slop- 
ing bank,  as  is  often  the  case  with  the  habitation  of  these  insects, 
and  to  eat  bees,  grubs,  and  honey,  unmindful  of  the  anger  of  the 
survivors,  who,  however,  appeared  to  be  but  little  affected  by  the  in- 
roads which  the  Hedgehog  was  making  upon  their  offspring  and 
their  stores. 

The  home  of  the  Hedgehog  is  made  in  some  retired  and  well-pro- 
tected spot,  such  as  a  crevice  in  rocky  ground,  or  under  the  stones  of 
some  old  ruin.  It  greatly  affects  hollow  trees,  wherever  the  decayed 
wood  permits  it  to  find  an  easy  entrance,  and  not  unfrequently  is  found 
coiled  up  in  a  warm  nest  which  it  has  made  under  the  large  gnarled 
roots  of  some  old  tree,  w^here  the  rains  have  washed  away  the  earth 
and  left  the  roots  projecting  occasionally  from  the  ground.  Besides 
these  legitimate  habitations,  the  Hedgehog  is  frequently  found  to  in- 
trude itself  upon  the  homes  of  other  animals,  and  has  been  often  cap- 
tured within  rabbit  burrows.  Perhaps  it  may  be  led  to  these  localities 
by  the  double  motive  of  obtaining  shelter  from  weather  and  enemies, 
and  of  making  prey  of  an  occasional  young  rabbit. 

In  its  retreat  the  Hedgehog  usually  passes  the  winter  in  that  semi- 
animate  condition  which  is  known  by  the  name  of  hibernation. 

The  hibernation  of  the  Hedgehog  is  more  complete  than  that  of  the 
dormouse  or  any  other  of  our  indigenous  hibernating  quadrupeds,  for 
they  always  have  a  stock  of  food  on  which  they  can  rely,  and  of  which 
they  sparingly  partake  during  the  cold  mouths  of  the  year.  The 
Hedgehog,  however,  lays  up  no  such  stores,  nor,  indeed,  could  it  do  so, 
for,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  its  food  is  almost  entirely  of  an  an- 
imal nature. 

The  sight  of  the  Hedgehog  does  not  appear  to  be  so  excellent  as  its 
powers  of  scent,  which  are  admirably  developed,  as  may  be  seen  by 
opening  the  side  of  a  Hedgehog's  face. 


136  MACROPID^. 

One  of  these  animals  has  been  seen  to  chase  a  partridge  across  a 
road,  following  her  through  the  hedge  with  perfect  precision  ;  and  an- 
other was  observed  to  discover  the  presence  of  mankind  by  means  of 
its  powers  of  scent,  as  it  was  in  a  position  from  whence  it  could  not  see 
its  fancied  enemies.  The  Hedgehog  had  already  passed  the  observers, 
who  remained  perfectly  quiet  in  order  to  watch  its  proceedings,  but  af- 
ter it  had  run  for  a  few^  paces,  it  suddenly  stopped,  seemed  suspicious 
of  some  danger,  stretched  its  nose  in  the  air,  and  stood  on  its  guard. 
In  a  few  moments  it  seemed  to  have  set  itself  at  ease,  and  resumed  its 
course.  The  spectators  then  slightly  shifted  their  position,  so  as  to 
bring  the  animal  again  within  the  range  of  their  "wind,"  when  the 
creature  repeated  the  same  process,  and  did  not  appear  entirely  at  its 
ease  for  some  little  time. 

MAGROPID^. 

The  extraordinary  animals  which  are  grouped  together  under  the 
title  of  Macropidse  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  well-known  Opossum 
of  Virginia,  inhabitants  of  Australasia  and  the  islands  of  the  Indian 
Archipelago. 

The  peculiarity  which  gives  the  greatest  interest  to  this  group  of  an- 
imals is  that  wonderful  modification  of  the  nutrient  organs  which  has 
gained  for  them  the  title  of  Maesupialia,  or  pouched  animals — a  name 
which  is  derived  from  the  Latin  word  marsupiiim,  which  signifies  "  a 
purse"  or  "pouch."  This  singular  structure  is  found  only  in  the  fe- 
male Marsupials,  and  in  them  is  variously  developed  according  to 
the  character  of  the  animal  and  the  mode  of  life  for  which  it  is  in- 
tended. 

The  low^er  part  of  the  abdomen  is  furnished  with  a  tolerably  large 
pouch,  in  the  interior  of  which  the  mammae,  or  teats,  are  placed. 
When  the  young,  even  of  so  large  an  animal  as  the  kangaroo,  make 
their  appearance  in  the  world,  they  are  exceedingly  minute — the  young 
kangaroo  being  only  an  inch  in  length — and  entirely  unable  to  endure 
the  rough  treatment  which  they  would  meet  with  were  they  to  be  nur- 
tured according  to  the  manner  in  which  the  young  of  all  other  animals 
are  nourished.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as  they  are  born  they  are  trans- 
ferred by  the  mother  into  the  pouch,  when  they  instinctively  attach 
themselves  to  the  teats,  and  there  hang  until  they  have  attained  con- 
siderable dimensions.  By  degrees,  as  they  grow  older  and  stronger, 
they  loosen  their  hold,  and  put  their  little  heads  out  of  the  living 
cradle,  in  order  to  survey  the  world  at  leisure.  In  a  few  weeks  more 
they  gain  sufficient  strength  to  leave  the  pouch  entirely,  and  to  frisk 
about  under  the  guardianship  of  their  mother,  who,  however,  is  always 
ready  to  receive  them  again  into  their  cradle  if  there  is  any  rumor  of 


THE  OPOSSUM  MOUSE.  137 

danger,  and,  if  any  necessity  for  flight  should  present  itself,  flies  from 
the  dangerous  locality,  carrying  her  young  with  her. 

At  the  head  of  the  Macropidse  are  placed  a  small  but  interesting 
band  of  marsupial  animals,  which  are  called  Phalangistines,  on  account 
of  the  curious  manner  in  which  two  of  the  toes  belonging  to  the  hinder 
feet  are  joined  together  as  far  as  the  "  phalanges."  The  feet  are  all 
formed  with  great  powers  of  grasp,  and  their  structure  is  intended  to 
fit  them  for  procuring  their  food  among  the  branches  of  the  trees,  on 
which  they  pass  the  greater  portion  of  their  existence. 

First  and  least  of  the  Phalangistines,  is  the  beautiful  little  animal 
which  is  called  the  Opossum  Mouse  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  and 
the  Flying  Mouse  in  others. 

This  pretty  little  creature  is  about  the  size  of  our  common  mouse, 
and  when  it  is  resting  upon  a  branch,  with  its  parachute,  or  umbrella 
of  skin,  drawn  close  to  the  body  by  its  own  elasticity,  it  looks  very  like 
the  common  mouse  of  Europe,  and  at  a  little  distance  might  easily  be 
taken  for  that  animal.  In  total  length  it  rather  exceeds  six  inches, 
the  length  of  its  head  and  body  being  about  three  inches  and  a  half, 
and  that  of  the  tail  not  quite  three  inches.  On  account  of  its  minute 
size  this  animal  is  also  called  the  Pigmy  Petaurist. 

In  the  color  of  the  upper  portions  of  the  body  the  Opossum  Mouse 
is  of  the  well-known  mouse  tint,  slightly  sprinkled  with  a  reddish  hue; 
but  on  the  abdomen  and  under  portions  of  the  skin  parachute,  the  fur 
is  beautifully  white.  The  line  of  demarcation  between  the  hair  is  very 
well  defined,  and  there  is  a  narrow  stripe  of  darker  brown  that  marks 
out  the  line  of  juncture.  When  the  animal  is  at  rest,  the  parachute 
closes  by  its  own  elasticity,  and  gathers  itself  into  folds,  which  have  a 
very  pretty  effect,  on  account  of  the  delicate  white  fur  which  becomes 
exposed  by  the  action,  and  which  undulates  in  rich  and  graceful  folds, 
alternating  with  the  dark  fur  of  the  back  and  the  still  darker  stripe 
that  forms  the  line  of  demarcation. 

The  tail  of  the  Opossum  Mouse  is  nearly  as  long  as  the  body,  very 
slender,  and  remarkable  for  the  manner  in  which  the  hairs  are  affixed 
to  it.  The  hairs  that  fringe  the  greater  part  of  the  tail  are  about  one- 
sixth  of  an  inch  in  length,  reddish  gray  in  color,  rather  stiff*,  and  are  set 
on  the  tail  in  a  double  row,  like  the  barks  of  a  feather.  A  similar 
formation  has  already  been  described  in  the  history  of  the  pen-tail  of 
Sarawak.     This  mode  of  arrangement  is  called  "  distichous." 

The  food  of  the  Petaurists  is  generally  of  a  vegetable  character, 
consisting  of  leaves,  fruits,  and  buds,  but  the  sharply-pointed  molars 
of  the  Opossum  Mouse  approach  so  closely  to  the  insectivorous  type 
that  the  creature  is  probably  able  to  vary  a  vegetable  diet  by  occasional 
admixture  with  animal  food. 

The  parachute-like  expansion  of  the  skin  is  of  very  great  service  to 
12* 


138  THE  AKIEL  AND  THE  VULPINE   PHALANGIST. 

the  animal  when  it  wishes  to  pass  from  one  branch  or  from  one  tree  to 
another  without  the  trouble  of  descending  and  the  laborious  climbing 
up  again.  Trusting  to  the  powers  of  its  parachute,  the  little  creature 
will  boldly  launch  itself  into  the  air,  stretching  out  all  its  limbs,  and 
expanding  the  skin  to  the  utmost.  Upborne  by  this  membrane,  the 
Opossum  Mouse  can  sweep  through  very  great  intervals  of  space,  and 
possesses  no  small  power  of  altering  its  course  at  will.  It  cannot, 
however,  support  itself  in  the  air  by  moving  its  limbs,  like  the  bats, 
nor  can  it  make  any  aerial  progress  when  the  original  impetus  of  its 
leap  has  expired. 

The  beautiful  little  animal  which  has  been  called  by  the  expressive 
name  of  Ariel  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  rat,  and  in  the  hue  of  the 
upper  portions  of  the  body  is  not  unlike  that  animal. 

The  color  of  the  fur  upon  the  upper  portions  of  the  body  is  a  light 
brown,  which  darkens  considerably  upon  the  parachute  membrane. 
On  the  under  surface  it  is  white,  the  white  fur  just  turning  over  the 
edge  of  the  parachute,  and  presenting  a  pretty  contrast  with  the  dark 
brown  color  of  its  upper  surface.  The  tail  is  nearly  of  the  same  color 
as  the  body,  with  the  exception  of  the  tip,  which  is  dark.  On  account 
of  its  graceful  movements,  and  the  easy  undulating  sweep  of  its  passage 
through  the  air,  it  has  earned  for  itself  the  appropriate  name  of  Ariel, 
in  remembrance  of  the  exquisite  and  tricksy  sprite  that  animates  the 
world-celebrated  drama  of  the  Tempest 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  animal,  and  is  frequently  seen  at  Port 
Essington. 

Fox-like  in  nature  as  well  as  in  form,  the  Vulpine  Phalangist 
has  well  earned  the  name  which  has  been  given  to  it  by  common 
consent.  It  has  also  been  entitled  the  Vulpine  Opossum,  and  in  its 
native  country  is  popularly  called  by  the  latter  of  these  names. 

It  is  an  extremely  common  animal,  and  is  the  widest  diffused  of  all 
the  Australian  opossum-like  animals.  Like  the  preceding  animals,  it 
is  a  nocturnal  being,  residing  during  the  day  in  the  hollows  of  decaying 
trees,  and  only  venturing  from  its  retreat  as  evening  draws  on.  The 
nature  of  its  food  is  of  a  mixed  character,  for  the  creature  is  capable 
of  feeding  on  vegetable  food,  like  the  Petaurists,  and  also  displays  a 
considerable  taste  for  animal  food  of  all  kinds.  If  a  small  bird  be 
given  to  a  Vulpine  Phalangist,  the  creature  seizes  it  in  its  paws,  man- 
ipulates it  adroitly  for  a  while,  and  then  tears  it  to  pieces  and  eats  it. 
It  is  rather  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  animal  is  peculiarly  fond  of  the 
bram,  and  always  commences  its  feast  by  crushing  the  head  between  its 
teeth  and  devouring  the  brain. 

In  all  probability,  therefore,  the  creature  makes  no  small  portion 
of  Its  meals  on  various  animal  substances,  such  as  insects,  reptiles,  and 
eggs.     As  to  the  birds  on  which  it  so  loves  to  feed,  it  may  very  prob- 


THE  VULPINE  PHALANGIST.  139 

ably,  although  so  slow  an  aDimal,  capture  them  in  the  same  manner  as 
has  been  related  of  the  lemurs — viz.,  by  creeping  slowly  and  cautiously 
upon  them  as  they  sleep,  and  swiftly  seizing  them  before  they  can 
awaken  to  a  sense  of  their  danger.  It  is  a  tolerably  large  animal, 
equalling  a  large  cat  in  dimensions,  and  is,  therefore,  able  to  make  dire 
havoc  among  such  prey  whenever  it  chooses  to  issue  forth  with  the  in- 
tention of  making  a  meal  upon  some  small  bird  that  may  chance  to  be 
sleeping  in  fancied  security. 

The  fore-paws  of  the  Vulpine  Phalangist  are  well  adapted  for  such 
proceedings,  as  they  are  possessed  of  great  strength  and  mobility,  so 
that  the  animal  is  able  to  take  up  any  small  object  in  its  paws,  and  to 
hold  it  after  the  manner  of  the  common  squirrel.  When  feeding,  it 
generally  takes  its  food  in  its  fore-paws,  and  so  conveys  it  to  its  mouth. 
In  captivity  it  does  not  seem  to  be  a  very  intelligent  animal,  even  when 
night  brings  forth  its  time  of  energy,  and  it  but  little  responds  to  the 
advances  of  its  owner,  however  kind  he  may  be.  It  will  feed  on  bread 
and  milk,  or  fruits,  or  leaves,  or  buds,  or  any  substance  of  a  similar 
nature,  but  always  seems  best  pleased  when  it  is  supplied  w^ith  some 
small  birds  or  animals,  and  devours  them  with  evident  glee. 

The  flesh  of  the  Vulpine  Phalangist  is  considered  to  be  very  good, 
and  the  natives  are  so  fond  of  it  that,  notwithstanding  the  laziness  that 
is  ingrained  in  their  very  beings,  except  when  they  are  under  the  influ- 
ence of  some  potent  excitement,  they  can  seldom  refrain  from  chasing 
an  "  opossum,"  even  though  they  have  been  well  fed  by  the  white  set- 
tlers. When  the  fresh  body  of  a  Vulpine  Phalangist  is  opened,  a  kind 
of  camphorated  odor  is  diffused  from  it,  which  is  probably  occasioned 
by  the  foliage  of  the  camphor-perfumed  trees  in  which  it  dwells,  and 
the  leaves  of  which  it  eats. 

The  fur  of  this  animal  is  not  valued  so  highly  as  that  of  the  Tapoa, 
probably  because  it  is  of  more  common  occurrence,  for  the  color  of  the 
hair  is  much  more  elegant,  and  its  quality  seems  to  be  really  excellent. 
Some  few  experiments  have  been  made  upon  the  capabilities  of  this  fur, 
and,  as  far  as  has  yet  been  accomplished,  with  very  great  success.  Good 
judges  have  declared  that  articles  which  had  been  made  from  this  fur 
presented  a  great  resemblance  to  those  which  had  been  made  from  An- 
gola wool,  but  appeared  to  be  of  superior  quality.  The  hat-makers 
have  already  discovered  the  value  of  the  fur,  and  are  in  the  habit  of 
employing  it  in  their  trade. 

The  natives  employ  the  skin  of  the  "  opossum  "  in  the  manufacture 
of  their  scanty  mantles,  as  well  as  for  sundry  other  purposes,  and  pre- 
pare the  skins  in  a  rather  ingenious  manner.  As  soon  as  the  skin  is 
stripped  from  the  animal's  body,  it  is  laid  on  the  ground,  with  the 
hairy  side  downward,  and  secured  from  shrinking  by  a  number  of  lit- 
tle pegs  which  are  fixed  around  its  edges.     The  inner  side  is  then  con- 


140  THE  KOALA. 

tinually  scraped  with  a  shell,  and  by  degrees  the  skin  becomes  perfectly 
clean  and  pliable.  When  a  sufficient  number  of  skins  are  prepared, 
they  are  ingeniously  sewn  together  Avith  a  thread  that  is  made  from 
the  tendons  of  the  kangaroo,  which,  when  dried,  can  be  separated  into 
innumerable  filaments.  A  sharpened  piece  of  bone  stands  the  sable 
tailor  in  place  of  a  needle.  From  the  skin  of  the  same  animal  is  also 
formed  the  "  kumeel,"  or  badge  of  manhood,  a  slight  belt,  which  no 
one  is  permitted  to  wear  until  he  has  been  solemnly  admitted  among 
the  assembly  of  men. 

In  its  color  the  Vulpine  Phalangist  is  rather  variable,  but  the  gen- 
eral hue  of  its  fur  is  a  grayish  brown,  sometimes  tinted  with  a  ruddy 
hue.  The  tail  is  long,  thick,  and  woolly  in  its  character,  and  in  color 
it  resembles  that  of  the  body,  with  the  exception  of  the  tip,  which  is 
nearly  black.  The  dimensions  of  an  old  male  are  given  by  Mr.  Ben- 
nett as  follows  :  Total  length,  two  feet  seven  inches,  the  head  being  four 
inches  in  length  and  the  tail  nearly  a  foot. 

The  quaint-looking  animal  which  is  popularly  known  by  the  native 
name  of  Koala,  or  the  Australian  Bear,  is  of  some  importance  in 
the  zoological  world,  as  it  serves  to  fill  up  the  gulf  that  exists  between 
the  phalangistines  and  the  kangaroos. 

The  Koala  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  and  is  not  very  frequently  found, 
even  in  the  localities  which  it  most  affects.  It  is  not  nearly  so  widely 
spread  as  most  of  the  preceding  animals,  as  it  is  never  known  to  exist 
in  a  wild  state  except  in  the  south-eastern  regions  of  Australia. 

Although  well  adapted  by  nature  for  climbing  among  the  branches 
of  trees,  the  Koala  is  by  no  means  an  active  animal,  proceeding  on  its 
way  with  very  great  deliberation,  and  making  sure  of  its  hold  as  it  goes 
along.  Its  feet  are  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  slow  but  sure  mode  in 
which  the  animal  progresses  among  the  branches  by  the  structure  of 
the  toes  of  the  fore-feet  or  paws,  which  are  divided  into  two  sets,  the 
one  composed  of  the  two  inner  toes,  and  the  other  of  the  three  outer, 
in  a  manner  which  reminds  the  observer  of  the  feet  of  the  scansorial 
birds  and  the  chameleon.  This  formation,  although  well  calculated  to 
serve  the  animal  when  it  is  moving  among  the  branches,  is  of  but  little 
use  when  it  is  upon  the  ground,  so  that  the  terrestrial  progress  of  the 
Koala  is  especially  slow,  and  the  creature  seems  to  crawl  rather  than 
walk. 

It  seems  to  be  a  very  gentle  creature,  and  will  often  suffer  itself  to  be 
captured  without  offering  much  resistance,  or  seeming  to  trouble  itself 
about  its  captivity.  But  it  is  liable,  as  are  many  gentle  animals,  to 
sudden  and  unexpected  gusts  of  passion,  and  when  it  is  excited  by 
rage  it  puts  on  a  very  fierce  look,  and  utters  sharp  and  shrill  yells  in 
a  very  threatening  manner.     Its  usual  voice  is  a  peculiar  soft  bark. 

This  animal  is  rather  prettily  colored,  the  body  being  furnished  with 


THE  KANGAKOO. 


141 


fur  of  a  fine  gray  color,  warmed  with  a  sliglit  reddish  tinge  in  the  adult 
animal,  and  fading  to  a  whitish  gray  in  the  young.  The  claws  are 
considerably  curved  and  black,  and  the  ears  are  tufted  with  long  white 
hairs.  In  size  it  equals  a  small  bull-terrier  dog,  being,  when  adult, 
rather  more  than  two  feet  in  length,  and  about  ten  inches  in  height 
when  standing.  The  circumference  of  the  body  is  about  eighteen 
inches,  including  the  fur. 

On  account  of  the  tree-climbing  habits  of  the  Koala,  it  is  sometimes 
called  the  Australian  Monkey  as  well  as  the  Australian  Bear. 

The  animals  which  come  next  under  consideration  are  truly  worthy 
of  the  title  of  Macropidse,  or  long-footed,  as  their  hinder  feet  are  most 
remarkable  for  their  comparative  length,  and  in  almost  every  instance 
are  many  times  longer  than  the  fore-feet.  This  structure  adapts  them 
admirably  for  leaping,  an  exercise  in  which  the  Kangaroos,  as  these 
creatures  are  familiarly  termed,  are  pre-eminently  excellent. 

Among  the  largest  of  the  Macropidse  is  the  celebrated  Kangaroo, 
an  animal  which  is  found  spread  tolerably  widely  over  its  native  land. 


The  Kangaroo  [Macropus  major). 
This  species  has  also  been  called  by  the  name  of  giganteus,  on  ac- 
count of  its  very  great  size,  which,  however,  is  sometimes  exceeded  by 
that  of  the  Woolly  Kangaroo.    The  average  dimensions  of  an  adult  male 
are  generally  as  follows:  The  total  length  of  the  animal  is  about  seven 


142  THE  KANGAKOO. 

feet  six  iDches,  counting  from  the  nose  to  the  tip  of  the  tail ;  the  head 
and  body  exceed  four  feet,  and  the  tail  is  rather  more  than  three  feet 
in  length.  The  circumference  of  the  tail  at  its  base  is  about  a  foot. 
When  it  sits  erect  after  its  curious  tripedal  fashion,  supported  by  its 
hind-quarters  and  tail,  its  height  is  rather  more  than  fifty  inches;  but 
when  it  wishes  to  survey  the  country,  and  stands  erect  upon  its  toes,  it 
surpasses  in  height  many  a  well-grown  man.  The  female  is  very  much 
smaller  than  her  mate,  being  under  six  feet  in  total  length,  and  the  dif- 
ference in  size  is  so  great  that  the  two  sexes  might  be  well  taken  for 
different  species. 

The  weight  of  a  full-grown  male — or  "Boomer,"  as  it  is  more  famil- 
iarly called — is  very  considerable,  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds  hav- 
ing often  been  attained,  and  even  greater  weight  being  on  record.  The 
color  of  the  animal  is  brown,  mingled  with  gray,  the  gray  predom- 
inating on  the  under  portions  of  the  body  and  the  under  faces  of  the 
limbs.     The  fore-feet  are  black,  as  is  also  the  tip  of  the  tail. 

As  the  Kangaroo  is  a  valuable  animal,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  its 
skin,  but  on  account  of  its  flesh,  which  is  in  some  estimation  among 
the  human  inhabitants  of  the  same  land,  it  is  eagerly  sought  after  by 
hunters,  both  white  and  black,  and  affords  good  sport  to  both  on  ac- 
count of  its  speed,  its  vigor,  and  its  wariness.  The  native  hunter,  who 
trusts  chiefly  to  his  own  cunning  and  address  for  stealing  unobserved 
upon  the  animal  and  lodging  a  spear  in  its  body  before  it  is  able  to 
elude  its  subtle  enemy,  finds  the  Kangaroo  an  animal  which  will  test 
all  his  powers  before  he  can  attain  his  object,  and  lay  the  Kangaroo 
dead  upon  the  ground. 

The  male  Kangaroo,  or  "  Boomer,"  is  a  dangerous  antagonist  to  man 
and  dog,  and  unless  destroyed  by  missile  weapons  will  often  prove  more 
than  a  match  for  the  combined  efforts  of  man  and  beast. 

When  the  animal  finds  that  it  is  overpowered  in  endeavor  by  the 
swift  and  powerful  Kangaroo  dogs,  which  are  bred  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  chasing  this  one  kind  of  prey,  it  turns  suddenly  to  bay,  and 
placing  its  back  against  a  tree-trunk,  so  that  it  cannot  be  attacked  from 
behind,  patiently  awaits  the  onset  of  its  adversaries.  Should  an  un- 
wary dog  approach  within  too  close  a  distance  of  the  Kangaroo,  the 
animal  launches  so  terrible  a  blow  with  its  hinder  feet  that  the  long 
and  pointed  claw,  with  which  the  hinder  foot  is  armed,  cuts  like  a 
knife,  and  has  often  laid  open  the  entire  body  of  the  dog  with  a  single 
blow.  The  claw  which  is  thus  used  is  so  long,  hard,  and  sharp  that  it 
is  sometimes  used  as  a  head  to  a  spear. 

When  running,  the  creature  has  a  curious  habit  of  looking  back 
every  now  and  then,  and  has  sometimes  unconsciously  committed  sui- 
cide %  leaping  against  one  of  the  tree-stumps  which  are  so  plentifully 
found  in  the  districts  inhabited  by  the  Kangaroo. 


THE  KANGAKOO  EAT  AND  THE  WOMBAT.      143 

The  doe  Kangaroo  displays  very  little  of  these  running  or  fighting 
capabilities,  and  has  been  known,  when  chased  for  a  very  short  dis- 
tance, to  lie  down  and  die  of  fear.  Sometimes,  when  pursued,  she 
contrives  to  elude  the  dogs  by  rushing  into  some  brushwood,  and  then 
making  a  very  powerful  leap  to  one  side,  so  as  to  throw  the  dogs  off  the 
scent.  She  lies  perfectly  still  as  the  dogs  rush  past  her  place  of  con- 
cealment, and  when  they  have  fairly  passed  her  she  quietly  makes  good 
her  escape  in  another  direction.  When  young,  and  before  she  has 
borne  young,  the  female  Kangaroo  affords  good  sport,  and  is  called, 
from  her  extraordinary  speed,  the  "  Flying  Doe." 

The  Kangaroo  is  a  very  hardy  animal  and  thrives  well  in  England, 
where  it  might  probably  be  domesticated  to  a  large  extent  if  neces- 
sary, and  where  it  would  enjoy  a  more  genial  climate  than  it  finds 
in  many  districts  of  its  native  land.  One  of  the  fiavored  localities  of 
this  species  is  the  bleak,  wet,  and  snow-capped  summit  of  Mount  Wel- 
lington. 

The  eye  of  the  Kangaroo  is  very  beautiful,  large,  round,  and  soft,  and 
gives  to  the  animal  a  gentle,  gazelle-like  expression  that  compensates 
for  the  savage  aspect  of  the  teeth,  as  they  gleam  whitely  between  the 
cleft  lips. 

The  Kangaroo  Rat,  called  by  the  natives  the  Potoroo,  is  a  native 
of  New  South  Wales,  where  it  is  found  in  very  great  numbers. 

It  is  but  a  diminutive  animal,  the  head  and  body  being  only  fifteen 
inches  long,  and  the  tail  between  ten  and  eleven  inches.  The  color  of 
the  fur  is  brownish  black,  pencilled  along  the  back  with  a  gray  white. 
The  under  parts  of  the  body  are  white,  and  the  fore-feet  are  brown. 
The  tail  is  equal  to  the  body  in  length,  and  is  covered  with  scales, 
through  the  intervals  of  which  sundry  short,  stiff,  and  black  hairs 
protrude. 

This  little  animal  frequents  the  less  open  districts,  and  is  very  quick 
and  lively  in  its  movements,  whether  it  be  indulging  in  its  native  game- 
someness  or  engaged  in  the  search  for  food.  Roots  of  various  kinds  are 
the  favorite  diet  of  the  Kangaroo  Rat,  and  in  order  to  obtain  these 
dainties  the  animal  scratches  them  from  the  ground  with  the  powerful 
claws  of  the  fore-feet. 

It  is  not  so  exclusively  nocturnal  as  many  of  the  preceding  animals, 
and  seems  to  be  equally  lively  by  day  as  by  night.  When  the  animal 
is  sitting  upon  its  hinder  portions,  the  tail  receives  part  of  the  weight  of 
the  body,  but  is  not  used  in  the  same  manner  as  the  tail  of  the  true 
Kangaroos,  which,  when  they  are  moving  slowly  and  leisurely  along, 
are  accustomed  to  support  the  body  on  the  tail,  and  to  swing  the  hinder 
legs  forward  like  a  man  swinging  himself  upon  crutches. 

The  Wombat — or  Australian  Badger,  as  it  is  popularly  called  by 
the  colonists — is  so  singularly  unlike  the  preceding  and  succeeding  an- 


144 


THE  BANDICOOT. 


imals  in  its  aspect  and  habits  that  it  might  well  be  supposed  to  belong 
to  quite  a  different  order. 

As  might  be  imagined  from  its  heavy  body  and  short  legs,  the  Wom- 
bat is  by  no  means  an  active  animal,  but  trudges  along  at  its  own  pace, 
with  a  heavy  rolling  waddle  or  hobble,  like  the  gait  of  a  very  fat  bear. 
It  is  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  Australia.  The  fur  of  the  Wombat  is 
warm,  long,  and  very  harsh  to  the  touch,  and  its  color  is  gray,  mottled 
with  black  and  white.     The  under  parts  of  its  body  are  grayish  white, 


The  Wombat  {Phascolomys  ur sinus). 

and  the  feet  are  black.  The  muzzle  is  very  broad  and  thick.  The 
length  of  the  animal  is  about  three  feet,  the  head  measuring  seven 
inches. 

It  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  living  during  the  day  in  the  depths  of 
a  capacious  burrow,  which  it  excavates  in  the  earth  to  such  a  depth 
that  even  the  persevering  natives  will  seldom  attempt  to  dig  a  Wom- 
bat out  of  its  tunnel. 

The  creature  seems  to  be  remarkably  sensitive  to  cold,  considering 
the  severe  weather  which  often  reigns  in  its  native  country.  It  is  fond 
of  hay,  which  it  chops  into  short  pieces  with  its  knife-edged  teeth.  The 
natives  say  that  if  a  Wombat  is  making  a  journey  and  happens  to  come 
across  a  river,  it  is  not  in  the  least  discomfited,  but  walks  deliberately 
into  the  river,  across  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and,  emerging  on  the  oppo- 
site bank,  continues  its  course  as  calmly  as  if  no  impediment  had  been 
placed  in  its  way. 

The  Bandicoots  form  a  little  group  of  animals  that  are  easily  recog- 
nizable by  means  of  their  rat-like  aspect,  and  a  certain  peculiar  but  inde- 


THE  LONG-NOSED  BANDICOOT  AND  THE  CHCEROPUS.     145 

scribable  mode  of  carrying  themselves.  The  gait  of  the  Bandicoot  is 
very  singular,  being  a  kind  of  mixture  between  jumping  and  running, 
which  is  the  result  of  the  formation  of  the  legs  and  feet. 

The  food  of  the  Long-nosed  Bandicoot  is  said  to  be  of  a  purely 
vegetable  nature,  and  the  animal  is  reported  to  occasion  some  havoc 
among  the  gardens  and  granaries  of  the  colonists.  Its  long  and  pow- 
■erful  claws  aid  it  in  obtaining  roots,  and  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that 
it  may,  at  the  same  time  that  it  unearths  and  eats  a  root,  seize  and  de- 
vour the  terrestrial  larvae  which  are  found  in  almost  every  square  inch 
of  ground.  The  lengthen  ad  nose  and  sharp  teeth,  which  present  so 
great  a  resemblance  to  the  same  organs  in  insectivorous  shrews,  afford 
good  reasons  for  conjecturing  that  they  may  be  employed  in  much  the 
same  manner. 

The  Chceropus  was  formerly  designated  by  the  specific  title  of  ecau- 
datus,  or  "  tailless,"  because  the  first  specimen  that  had  been  captured 
was  devoid  of  caudal  appendage,  and  therefore  its  discoverers  natural- 
ly concluded  that  all  its  kindred  were  equally  curtailed  of  their  fair 
proportions.  But  as  new  specimens  came  before  the  notice  of  the  zoo- 
logical world,  it  was  found  that  the  Choeropus  was  rightly  possessed  of 
a  moderately  long  and  somewhat  rat-like  tail,  and  that  the  taillessness 
of  the  original  specimen  was  only  the  result  of  accident  to  the  indi- 
vidual, and  not  the  normal  condition  of  the  species.  The  size  of  the 
Choeropus  is  about  equal  to  that  of  a  small  rabbit,  and  the  soft, 
woolly  fur  is  much  of  the  same  color  as  that  of  the  common  wild 
rabbit. 

It  is  an  inhabitant  of  New  South  AVales,  and  was  first  discovered  by 
Sir  Thomas  Mitchell  on  the  banks  of  the  Murray  River,  equally  to  the 
astonishment  of  white  men  and  natives,  the  latter  declaring  that  they 
had  never  before  seen  such  a  creature.  The  speed  of  the  Choeropus  is 
considerable,  and  its  usual  haunts  are  among  the  masses  of  dense  scrub 
foliage  that  cover  so  vast  an  extent  of  ground  in  its  native  country. 
Its  nest  is  similar  to  that  of  the  bandicoot,  being  made  of  dried  grass 
and  leaves  rather  artistically  put  together,  the  grass,  however,  predom- 
inating over  the  leaves.  The  locality  of  the  nest  is  generally  at  the 
foot  of  a  dense  bush,  or  of  a  heavy  tuft  of  grass,  and  it  is  so  carefully 
veiled  from  view  by  the  mode  of  its  construction  that  it  can  scarcely 
be  discovered  by  the  eyes  of  any  but  an  experienced  hunter. 

The  head  of  the  Choeropus  is  rather  peculiar,  being  considerably 
lengthened,  cylindrically  tapering  toward  the  nose,  so  that  its  form  has 
been  rather  happily  compared  to  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  a  cham- 
pagne bottle.  The  hinder  feet  are  like  those  of  the  bandicoots,  and 
there  is  a  small  swelling  at  the  base  of  the  toes  of  the  fore-feet,  which 
is  probably  the  representative  of  the  missing  joints,  more  especially 
as  the  outermost  toes  are  always  extremely  small  in  the  bandicoots,  to 

13  tr 


146 


THE  COMMON   DASYURE. 


which  the  Choeropus  is  nearly  allied.  The  ears  are  very  large  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  of  the  animal.     The  pouch  opens  backward. 

The  food  of  the  Choeropus  is  said  to  be  of  a  mixed  character,  and  to 
consist  of  various  vegetable  substances  and  of  insects. 

The  teeth  of  the  Dasyurines,  sharp-edged  and  pointed,  indicate  the 
carnivorous  character  of  those  animals  to  which  they  belong. 

In  the  Common  Dasyure  the  general  color  of  the  fur  is  brown,  of 
a  very  dark  hue,  sometimes  deepening  into  positive  black,  diversified 

•^iss^  ''-■^V'"^^^**^>«M^*^%'^Vf^7^^W'*    ^^^^  many  spots  of  white, 

scattered  apparently  at 
random  over  the  whole  of 
the  body,  and  varying 
in  both  their  position  and 
dimensions  in  almost 
every  individual.  In 
some  specimens  the  tail  is 
washed  with  white  spots 
similar  to  those  of  the 
body,  but  in  many  ex- 
amples is  uniformly  dark. 
In  all  the  Dasyures  this 
member  is  moderately 
long,  but  not  prehensile, 
and  is  thickly  covered 
with  hair — a  peculiarity 
which  has  caused  zool- 
hair-tail,"  to  these  animals. 
This  species  is  the  animal  which  is  known  in  Australia  by  the  popular 
name  of  Native  Cat. 

They  are  all  inhabitants  of  Australasia,  the  Common  Dasyure  being 
found  numerously  enough  in  New  Holland,  Van  Diemen's  Land,  and 
some  parts  of  Australia.  The  habits  of  all  the  Dasyures  are  so  very 
similar  that  there  is  no  need  of  describing  them  separately.  They 
are  all  rather  voracious  animals,  feeding  upon  the  smaller  quadrupeds, 
birds,  insects,  and  other  living  beings  which  inhabit  the  same  country. 
The  Dasyure  is  said  to  follow  the  example  of  several  allied  animals, 
and  to  be  fond  of  roaming  along  the  sea-coasts  by  night  in  search  of 
food. 

The  Dasyures  are  all  nocturnal  animals,  and  very  seldom  make 
voluntary  excursions  from  their  hiding-places  so  long  as  the  sun  is 
above  the  horizon.  They  do  not,  like  the  Tasmanian  wolf  and  the 
Ursine  Dasyure,  lie  hidden  in  burrows  under  the  earth,  or  in  the  depths 
of  rocky  ground,  but  follow  the  example  of  the  Petaurists,  and  make 
their  habitations  in  the  hollovvs  of  decayed  trees. 


The  Dasyure  {Dasyurus  mverrinus). 
ogists  to  give  the  title  of  Dasvure,  or 


YELLOW-FOOTED  POUCHED  MOUSE  AND  THE  MYRMECOBIUS.  147 

The  Yellow-footed  Pouched  Mouse  is  a  very  pretty  little  creature, 
its  fur  being  richly  tinted  with  various  pleasing  hues. 

The  face,  the  upper  part  of  the  head,  and  the  shoulders  are  dark 
gray,  diversified  with  yellow  hairs,  and  the  sides  of  the  body  are 
warmed  with  a  wash  of  bright  chestnut.  The  under  parts  of  the  body, 
the  chin,  and  the  throat  are  uniform  white,  and  the  tail  is  black.  There 
is  often  a  slight  tufting  of  hair  on  the  extremity  of  the  tail.  The  total 
length  of  the  animal  is  about  eight  inches,  the  head  and  body  being 
rather  more  than  four  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  the  tail  a  little 
more  than  three  inches. 

The  Myrmecobius  is  remarkable  for  several  p'arts  of  its  structure, 
and  more  especially  so  for  the  extraordinary  number  of  its  teeth,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  are  placed  in  the  jaw.  Altogether,  there  are 
no  less  than  fifty-two  teeth  in  the  jaws  of  an  adult  and  perfect  specimen 
of  the  Myrmecobius,  outnumbering  the  teeth  of  every  other  animal, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  cetacea  and  the  armadillo.  There 
is  no  pouch  in  this  animal,  but  the  tender  young  are  defended  from 
danger  by  the  long  hairs  which  clothe  the  under  portions  of  the  body. 

It  is  a  beautiful  little  animal,  the  fur  being  of  agreeable  tints  and 
diversified  by  several  bold  stripes  across  the  back.  The  general  color 
of  the  fur  is  a  bright  fawn  on  the  shoulders,  which  deepens  into 
blackish  brown  from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail,  the  fur  of  the  hinder 
portions  being  nearly  black.  Across  the  back  are  drawn  six  or  seven 
white  bands,  broad  on  the  back  and  tapering  off  toward  their  extrem- 
ities. The  under  parts  of  the  body  are  of  a  yellowish  white.  The  tail 
is  thickly  covered  with  long  bushy  hair,  and  has  a  grizzled  aspect, 
owing  to  the  manner  in  which  the  black  and  white  hairs  of  which  it 
is  composed  are  mingled  together.  Some  hairs  are  annulated  with 
white,  redrust,  and  black,  so  that  the  tints  are  rather  variable,  and 
never  precisely  the  same  in  two  individuals. 

The  length  of  the  body  is  about  ten  inches,  and  the  tail  measures 
about  seven  inches,  so  that  the  dimensions  of  the  animal  are  similar  to 
those  of  the  common  water  vole  of  Europe. 

It  is  an  active  animal,  and  w^hen  running  its  movements  are  very 
similar  to  those  of  the  common  squirrel.  When  hurried  it  proceeds 
by  a  series  of  small  jumps,  the  tail  being  elevated  over  its  back  after 
the  usual  custom  of  squirrels,  and  at  short  intervals  it  pauses,  sits 
upright,  and  casts  an  anxious  look  in  all  directions  before  it  again  takes 
to  flight.  Although  not  a  particularly  swift  animal,  it  is  not  an  easy 
one  to  capture,  as  it  immediately  makes  for  some  place  of  refuge,  under 
a  hollow  tree  or  a  cleft  in  rocky  ground,  and  when  it  has  fairly  placed 
itself  beyond  the  reach  of  its  pursuers,  it  bids  defiance  to  their  eflforts 
to  drive  it  from  its  haven  of  safety.  Not  even  smoke — the  usual 
resort  of  a  hunter  when  his  prey  has  gone  to  "  earth  "  and  refuses  to 


148  THE  VIRGINIAN  OPOSSUM. 

come  out  again — has  the  least  effect  on  the  Myrmecobius,  which  is 
possessed  either  of  sufficieDt  smoke-resistiog  powers  to  endure  the  sti- 
fling vapor  with  impunity,  or  of  sufficient  courage  to  yiehl  its  life  in 
the  recesses  of  its  haven  rather  than  deliver  itself  into  the  hands  of 
its  enemies.  *  • 

The  food  of  the  Myrmecobius  is  supposed  to  consist  chiefly  of  ants 
and  similar  diet,  as  it  is  generally  found  inhabiting  localities  where  ants 
most  abound.  For  this  kind  of  food  it  is  well  fitted  by  its  long  tongue, 
which  is  nearly  as  thick  as  a  common  black-lead  pencil,  and  is  capable 
of  protrusion  to  some  distance.  In  confinement  a  specimen  of  the 
Myrmecobius  Avas  Accustomed  to  feed  on  bran,  among  other  sub- 
stances. It  is  known  that  in  the  wild  state  it  will  eat  hay,  as  well 
as  the  "manna"  that  exudes  from  the  branches  of  the  Eucalypti. 

It  is  a  very  gentle  animal  in  its  disposition,  as,  when  captured,  it  does 
not  bite  or  scratch,  but  only  vents  its  displeasure  in  a  series  of  little 
grunts  when  it  finds  that  it  is  unable  to  make  its  escape.  The  number 
of  its  young  is  rather  various,  but  averages  from  five  to  eight.  The 
usual  habitation  of  the  Myrmecobius  is  placed  in  the  decayed  trunk 
of  a  fallen  tree,  or,  in  defiiult  of  such  lodging,  is  made  in  a  hollow 
in  the  ground.     It  is  a  native  of  the  borders  of  the  Swan  River. 

There  are  very  few  of  the  marsupi- 
ated  animals  which  are  more  remark- 
able for  their  form,  their  habits,  or 
their  character  than  the  Opossums  of 
America.  They  are  nearly  all  admi- 
rable climbers,  and  are  assisted  in  their 
-^  scansorial  efforts  by  their  long  prehen- 
j/x>^.^^^~i^~->  sile  tails,  which  are  covered  with  scales, 

^^■"^ -s ,  ^z  through  the  interstices  of  which  a  few 

The  Opossum  (DideJphys  Vir-    short  black  hairs  protrude.     The  hinder 
giniana).  £^^^  ^^^  ^1^^  ^^.^^  adapted  for  climbing, 

as  the  thumb  is  opposable  to  the  other  toes,  so  that  the  animal  is  able  to 
grasp  the  branch  of  a  tree  with  considerable  force,  and  to  suspend  its 
whole  body  together  with  the  additional  weight  of  its  prey  or  its  young. 
The  Virginian  or  Common  Opossum  is,  as  its  name  implies,  a  native 
of  Virginia  as  well  as  of  many  other  portions  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  In  size  it  equals  a  tolerably  large  cat,  being  rather  more 
than  three  feet  in  total  length,  the  head  and  body  measuring  twenty- 
two  inches,  and  the  tail  fifteen.  The  color  of  this  animal  is  a  grayish 
white,  slightly  tinged  with  yellow,  and  diversified  by  occasional  long 
hairs  that  are  white  toward  their  base,  but  of  a  brownish  hue  toward 
their  points.  These  brown-tipped  hairs  are  extremely  prevalent  upon 
the  limbs,  which  are  almost  wholly  of  the  brown  hue,  which  also  sur- 
rounds  the  eye  to  some  extent.     The  under  fur  is  comparatively  soft  and 


MEEIAN'S  OPOSSUM.  149 

woolly,  but  the  general  character  of  the  fur  is  harsh  and  coarse.  The 
scaly  portion  of  the  tail  is  white. 

It  is  a  voracious  and  destructive  animal,  prowling  about  during  the 
hours  of  darkness,  and  prying  into  every  nook  and  corner  in  hope  of 
finding  something  that  may  satisfy  the  cravings  of  imperious  hunger. 
Young  birds,  eggs,  the  smaller  quadrupeds — such  as  young  rabbits, 
which  it  eats  by  the  brood  at  a  time,  cotton  rats,  and  mice — reptiles  of 
various  kinds,  and  insects,  fall  victims  to  the  appetite  of  the  Virginian 
Opossum,  which  is  often  not  content  with  the  food  whichjt  finds  in  the 
open  forests,  but  must  needs  insinuate  itself  into  the  poultry-yard  and 
make  a  meal  on  the  fovvls  and  their  eggs. 

Besides  the  varied  animal  diet  in  which  the  Opossum  indulges,  it  also 
eats  vegetable  substances,  committing  as  much  havoc  among  plantations 
and  fruit  trees  as  among  rabbits  and  poultry.  It  is  very  fond  of  maize, 
procuring  the  coveted  food  by  climbing  the  tall  stems,  or  by  biting  them 
across  and  breaking  them  down.  It  also  eats  acorns,  beech-nuts,  chest- 
nuts, and  wild  berries,  while  its  fondness  for  the  fruit  of  the  **  persim- 
mon" tree  is  almost  proverbial.  While  feeding  on  those  fruits  it  has 
been  seen  hanging  by  its  tail,  or  its  hinder  paws,  gathering  the  "per- 
simmons "  with  its  fore-pav^s,  and  eating  them  while  thus  suspended. 
It  also  feeds  on  various  roots,  which  it  digs  out  of  the  ground  with 
ease. 

Its  gait  is  usually  slow  and  awkward,  but  when  pursued  it  runs  with 
considerable  speed,  though  in  a  sufficiently  clumsy  fiishion,  caused  by 
its  habit  of  usiug  the  limbs  of  the  right  and  left  sides  simultaneously  in 
a  kind  of  amble.  As,  moreover,  the  creature  is  plantigrade  in  its  walk, 
it  may  be  imagined  to  be  anything  but  elegant  in  its  mode  of  progress 
upon  the  ground.  Although  it  is  such  an  adept  at  "  'possuming,"  or 
feigning  death,  it  does  not  put  this  ruse  in  practice  until  it  has  used 
every  endeavor  to  elude  its  pursuers,  and  finds  that  it  has  no  possibil- 
ity of  escape.  It  runs  sulkily  and  sneakingly  forward,  looking  on 
every  side  for  some  convenient  shelter,  and  seizing  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  slipping  under  cover. 

The  nest  of  the  Opossum  is  always  made  in  some  protected  situation, 
such  as  the  hollow  of  a  fallen  or  a  standing  tree,  or  under  the  shelter 
of  some  old  projecting  roots. 

In  Merian's  Opossum  there  is  no  true  pouch,  and  the  place  of  that 
curious  structure  is  only  indicated  by  a  fold  of  skin,  so  that  during  the 
infancy  of  its  young  the  mother  is  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  that  sin- 
gular custom  which  has  gained  for  it  the  title  of  dorsigerus,  or  "  back- 
bearing."  At  a  very  early  age  the  young  Opossums  are  shifted  to  the 
back  of  their  mother,  where  they  cling  tightly  to  her  fur  with  their 
little  hand-like  feet,  and  further  secure  themselves  by  twining  their 
own  tails  round  that  of  the  parent.     The  little  group  which  is  here 

13* 


150 


MERIAN'S  OPOSSUM. 


given  was  sketched  from  a  stuffed  specimen  in  the  British  Museum, 
where  the  peculiar  attitude  of  mother  and  young  is  wonderfully  pre- 
served, when  the  very  minute  dimensions  of  the  young  Opossums  are 
taken  into  consideration. 

Many  other  species  of  Opossums  are  in  the  habit  of  carrying  their 
young  upon  their  backs,  even  though  they  may  be  furnished  with  a 
well-developed  pouch  ;  but  in  the  pouchless  Opossums  the  young  are 


Merian's  Opossum  (Philander  dordgerus). 

placed  on  the  back  at  a  very  early  age,  and  are  retained  there  for  a 
considerable  period. 

It  is  a  very  small  animal,  measuring  when  adult  only  six  inches  from 
the  nose  to  the  root  of  the  tail,  the  tail  itself  being  more  than  seven 
inches  in  length,  thus  exceeding  the  united  measurement  of  the  head 
and  body.  Its  general  appearance  is  much  like  that  of  a  very  large 
mouse  or  a  very  small  rat. 

The  fur  of  the  Merian's  Opossum  is  very  short,  and  lies  closely  upon 
the  skin.  On  the  upper  portions  of  the  body  its  color  is  a  pale  gray- 
ish brown,  fading  below  into  a  yellowish  white.  Round  the  eyes  is  a 
deep-brown  mark,  which  extends  forward  in  front  of  each  eye,  and 
forms  a  small  dark  patch.  The  forehead,  the  upper  part  of  the  head, 
and  the  cheeks,  together  with  the  limbs  and  feet,  are  of  a  yellow^ish 
white,  tending  to  gray. 

Toward  the  base  the  tail  is  clothed  with   hair  of  the  same  texture 


THE  COMMON  SEAL. 


151 


and  color  as  that  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body,  but  toward  its  extrem- 
ity it  becomes  white.     Its  native  country  is  Surinam. 


PHOCID^,  OR  SEALS. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  very  wonderful  series  of  animals,  which,  although 
they  breathe  atmospheric  air  like  other  mammalia,  are  yet  almost  en- 
tirely aquatic  in  their  habits,  and  are  never  seen  except  in  the  water  or 
its  immediate  vicinity.  The  first  family  of  these  aquatic  mammalia  is 
that  which  is  formed  of  the  animals  which  are  popularly  known  by  the 
name  of  Seals. 

The  Common  Seal  is  spread  very  widely  over  many  portions  of  the 
globe,  and  is  of  very  frequent  occurrence  upon  our  own  coasts,  where 


The  Marbled  Seal. 
it  is  found  in  considerable  numbers,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  fish- 
ermen, who  look  upon  it  with  intense  hatred,  on  account  of  the  havoc 
which  it  makes  among  the  fish. 

It  is  rather  a  handsome  animal,  with  its  beautifully-mottled  skin  and 
large  intelligent  eyes,  and,  although  not  so  large  as  other  species  which 
are  also  found  upon  the  British  coasts,  yields  to  none  of  them  in  point 
of  beautv.  The  color  of  its  fur  is  generally  of  a  grayish  yellow, 
sprinkled  with  spots  of  brown,  or  brownish  black,  which  are  larger 


152  THE  COMMON  SEAL. 

aud  more  conspicuous  along  the  back  than  upon  the  sides.  The  under 
portions  of  the  body  are  of  a  much  lighter  hue.  The  feet  are  short, 
and  the  claws  of  the  hinder  feet  are  larger  than  those  of  the  anterior 
limbs.  The  total  length  of  the  adult  Seal  is  seldom  more  than  five 
feet,  the  head  being  about  eight  or  nine  inches  long. 

This  creature  is  wonderfully  active  both  in  water  and  on  land,  al- 
though its  bodily  powers  are  but  awkwardly  manifested  when  it  is  re- 
moved from  the  watery  element  in  which  it  loves  to  roam.  It  is  a  per- 
severing hunter  of  fish,  chasing  and  securing  them  in  a  manner  that 
greatly  excites  the  wrath  of  the  fishermen,  who  see  their  best  captives 
taken  away  from  them  without  the  possibility  of  resistance.  So  cunning  as 
well  as  active  is  the  Common  Seal  that  one  of  these  animals  will  coolly 
hang  about  the  fishing-grounds  throughout  the  season,  make  itself  fa- 
miliar with  all  the  turns  and  angles  of  the  nets,  and  avail  itself  of 


The  Seal  [Phoca  vituUna). 

their  help  in  capturing  the  fish  on  which  it  is  desirous  to  make  a 
meal. 

On  the  British  coasts  the  chase  of  the  Seal  is  of  but  local  import- 
ance, but  on  the  shore  of  Newfoundland  it  assumes  a  different  aspect, 
and  becomes  an  important  branch  of  commercial  enterprise,  employing 
many  vessels  annually.  In  a  successful  season  the  number  of  Seals 
which  are  taken  amounts  to  many  hundred  thousand.  A  large  quan- 
tity of  oil  is  obtained  from  the  bodies  of  the  Seals,  and  is  used  for  va- 
rious purposes,  while  their  skins  are  of  considerable  value  either  when 
tanned  into  leather  or  when  prepared  with  the  fur  and  used  for  making 
various  articles  of  dress  and  luxury. 

The  Common  Seal  is  very  easily  tamed,  and  speedily  becomes  one  of 
the  most  docile  of  animals,  attaching  itself  with  strong  affection  to  its 
human  friends,  and  developing  a  beautifully  gentle  and  loving  nature, 
hardly  to  be  expected  in  such  an  animal.  Many  of  these  creatures 
have  been  taken  when  young,  and  have  been  strongly  domesticated 
with  their  captors,  considering  themselves  to  belong  of  right  to  the 


THE  WALRUS. 


153 


household,  and  taking  their  share  of  the  fireside  with  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family. 

Of  late  days  performing  Seals  have  come  into  vogue  under  various 
titles,  among  which  the  "  Talking  Fish  "  is  well  known.  These  clever 
animals  have  been  taught  to  perform  sundry  ingenious  feats,  requiring 
not  only  an  intelligent  mind  to  comprehend,  but  an  activity  of  body 
to  execute  apparently  incompatible  with  the  conformation  of  the  an- 
imal. 

Among  all  the  strange  forms  which  are  found  among  the  members 
of  the  Seal  family,  there  is  none  which  presents  a  more  terribly  gro- 
tesque appearance  than  that  of  the  Walkus,  Morse,  or  Sea  Horse, 
as  this  extraordinary  animal  is  indifferently  termed. 

The  most  conspicuous  part  of  this  animal  is  the  head,  with  its  pro- 
tuberant muzzle  bristling  with  long  wiry  hairs,  and  the  enormous  ca- 
nine teeth  that  project  from  the  upper  jaw.  These  huge  teeth  meas- 
ure, in  large  specimens,  from  fourteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  length,  the 
girth  at  the  base  being  nearly  seven  inches,  and  their  weight  upward 
of  teu  pounds  each.  In  ordinary  specimens,  however,  the  length  is 
about  one  foot.  In  some  examples  they  approach  each  other  toward 
their  points,  and  in  others  they  diverge  considerably,  forming,  in  the 
opinion  of  some  writers,  two  distinct  species.  As,  however,  the  rel- 
ative position  of  these  teeth  varies  slightly  in  every  specimen  that  has 
yet  been  examined,  tha  structure  seems  to  be  of  hardly  sufficient  im- 


The  Walrus  or  Morse  [Trichecus  Bosmams). 

portance  for  the  establishment  of  a  separate  species.  The  ivory  which 
is  furnished  by  these  extraordinary  w^eapous  is  of  very  fine  quality,  and 
commands  a  high  price  in  the  market. 


154 


THE  WALEUS. 


A  Walrus  is  a  valuable  auimal,  for  even  in  this  country  its  skin, 
teeth,  and  oil  are  in  much  request,  while  among  the  Esquimaux  its 
body  furnishes  them  with  almost  every  article  in  common  use.  Among 
civilized  men,  the  skin  of  the  Walrus  is  employed  for  harness  aud  other 
similar  purposes  where  a  thick  and  tough  hide  is  required.  The  tooth 
furnishes  very  good  ivory,  of  a  beautiful  texture,  and  possessing  the  ad- 
vantage of  retaining  the  white  hue  longer  than  ivory  which  is  made  from 
the  elephant  tusk.  The  oil  is  delicate,  but  there  is  very  little  to  be  ob- 
tained from  each  Walrus,  the  layer  of  fatty  matter  being  scarcely  more 
than  a  hand's-breadth  in  thickness.  Among  the  Esquimaux  the  Wal- 
rus is  put  to  a  variety  of  uses.  Fish-hooks  are  made  from  its  tusks,  the 
intestines  are  twisted  into  nets,  its  oil  and  flesh  are  eaten,  and  its  bones 


The  Walrus  or  Morse. 


and  skin  are  also  turned  to  account  by  these  rude  but  ingenious  work- 


men. 


The  Walrus  is  found  in  vast  herds,  which  frequent  the  coasts  of  the 
arctic  and  antarctic  regions,  and  which  congregate  in  such  numbers 
that  their  united  roarings  have  often  given  timely  warning  to  fog- 
bewildered  sailors,  and  acquainted  them  with  the  near  proximity  of 
shore.  These  herds  present  a  curious  sight,  as  the  huge,  clumsy  an- 
imals are  ever  in  movement,  rolling  and  tumbling  over  each  other  in 
a  strange  fashion,  and  constantly  uttering  their  hoarse  bellowings. 

The  movements  of  the  Walrus  when  on  land  are  of  a  very  clumsy 
character,  as  might  be  supposed  from  the  huge,  unwieldy  body  of  the 
animal,  and  the  evident  insufficiency  of  the  limbs  to  urge  the  weightv 
body  forward   with   any  speed.      When   this  creature  is  hurried  or 


THE  ELEPHANT  SEAL.  155 

alarmed,  it  coDtrives  to  get  over  the  ground  at  a  pace  that,  although 
not  very  rapid,  is  yet  wonderfully  so  when  the  size  of  the  animal  is 
taken  into  account.  The  movement  is  a  mixture  of  jerks  and  leaps, 
and  the  Walrus  is  further  aided  in  its  progress  by  the  tusks.  Should 
it  be  attacked,  and  its  retreat  cut  off,  the  Walrus  advances  fiercely 
upon  its  enemy,  striking  from  side  to  side  with  its  long  tusks,  and 
endeavoring  to  force  a  passage  into  the  sea.  If  it  should  be  suc- 
cessful in  its  attempt,  it  hurries  to  the  water's  edge,  lowers  its  head, 
and  rolls  unceremoniously  into  the  sea,  where  it  is  in  comparative 
safety. 

This  animal  attains  to  a  very  great  size — so  great,  indeed,  that  its 
dimensions  can  hardly  be  appreciated  except  by  ocular  demonstration. 
A  full-grown  male  Walrus  is  generally  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  in 
length,  while  there  are  many  specimens  that  have  been  known  to  attain 
a  still  greater  size.  The  skin  is  black  and  smooth,  and  is  sparingly  cov- 
ered with  brown  hairs,  which  become  more  numerous  on  the  feet. 

Another  powerful  and  grotesque  Seal  now  engages  our  attention. 
This  is  the  Elephant  Seal,  or  Sea  Elephant,  so  called  not  only 
on  account  of  the  strange  prolongation  of  the  nose,  which  bears  some 
analogy  to  the  proboscis  of  the 
elephant,  but  also  on  account  of 
the  animal's  elephantine  size. 
Large  specimens  of  this  mon- 
strous Seal  measure  as  much  as 
thirty  feet  in  length,  and  fifteen 
or  eighteen  feet  in  circumference 
at  the  largest  part  of  their  bodies. 

The  color  of  the  Sea  Elephant  is 
rather  variable,  even  in  individuals 
of  the  same  sex  and  age,  but  is  gen- 
erally as  follows:  The  fur  of  the 
male  is  usually  of  a  bluish  gray, 
which  sometimes  deepens  into  dark  The  Sea  Elephant  [Morunga  probos- 
brown,  while  that  of  the  female  is 

darker,  and  variegated  with  sundry  dapplings  of  a  yellow  hue.  This 
animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  southern  hemisphere,  and  is  spread 
through  a  considerable  range  of  country.  It  is  extensively  hunted 
for  the  sake  of  its  skin  and  its  oil,  both  of  which  are  of  very  excellent 
quality,  and,  from  the  enormous  size  of  the  animal,  can  be  procured  in 
large  quantities.  It  is  not  exclusively  confined  to  the  sea,  but  is  also 
fond  of  haunting  fresh-water  lakes  or  swampy  ground. 

It  is  an  emigrating  animal,  moving  southward  as  the  summer  comes 
on,  and  northward  when  the  cold  weather  of  the  winter  months  would 
make  its  more  southern  retreats  unendurable.     Its   first   emigration 


156  WHALES. 

is  generally  made  in  the  middle  of  June,  when  the  females  become 
mothers,  and  remain  in  charge  of  their  nurseries  for  nearly  two 
months.  During  this  time  the  males  are  said  to  form  a  cordon  be- 
tween their  mates  and  the  sea,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  desert- 
ing their  young  charges.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  males  re- 
lax their  supervision,  and  the  whole  family  luxuriates  together  in  the 
sea,  where  the  mothers  soon  regain  their  lost  condition.  They  then 
seek  the  shore  afresh,  and  occupy  themselves  in  settling  their  mat- 
rimonial alliances,  which  are  understood  on  the  principle  that  the 
strongest  shall  make  his  choice  among  the  opposite  sex,  and  that  the 
weakest  may  take  those  that  are  rejected  by  his  conquerors,  or  none  at 
all,  as  the  case  may  be. 

During  the  season  of  courtship  the  males  fight  desperately  with  each 
other,  inflicting  fearful  wounds  with  their  tusk-like  teeth,  while  the  fe- 
males remain  aloof,  as  quiet  spectators  of  the  combat.  They  are  polyg- 
amous animals,  each  male  being  lord  over  a  considerable  number  of 
females,  whom  he  rules  with  despotic  sway.  AVhen  the  victorious  com- 
batants have  chosen  their  mates  they  are  very  careful  about  their  safety, 
and  refuse  to  quit  them  if  they  should  be  in  any  danger.  Knowing 
this  fact,  the  seal-hunters  always  direct  their  attacks  upon  the  females, 
being  sure  to  capture  the  male  afterward.  If  they  were  to  kill  the 
male  at  first,  his  harem  would  immediately  disperse  and  fly  in  terror, 
but  as  long  as  he  lives  they  will  continue  to  crowd  round  him. 

Although  these  animals  are  of  so  great  dimensions  and  bodily 
strength,  and  are  furnished  with  a  very  formidable  set  of  teeth,  they 
are  not  nearly  such  dangerous  antagonists  as  the  walrus,  and  are  most 
apathetic  in  their  habits.  When  roused  from  sleep  they  open  their 
mouths  in  a  threatening  manner,  but  do  not  seem  to  think  of  using  their 
teeth ;  and  if  they  find  that  their  disturbers  do  not  run  away,  they  take 
that  office  upon  themselves,  and  move  ofl^ deliberately  for  the  water.  As 
they  proceed  their  huge  bodies  tremble  like  masses  of  jelly,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fat  with  which  they  are  so  heavily  laden.  So  plentiful 
is  this  fat  that  a  single  adult  male  will  furnish  about  seventy  gallons 
of  clear  and  scentless  oil. 

WHALES. 

The  Cetacea,  or  Whales,  are  more  thoroughly  aquatic  than  any 
other  animals  which  have  already  been  described,  and  are  consequently 
framed  in  such  a  very  fish-like  manner  that  they  have  generally  been 
considered  as  fishes  by  those  who  are  but  little  acquainted  with  the 
animal  kingdom.  The  whole  livelihood  of  whales  is  obtained  in 
the  waters,  and  their  entire  structure  is  only  fitted  for  traversing  the 
waves,  so  that  if  they  should  happen  to  be  cast  upon  the  shore  they 


THE  GREENLAND  WHALE.  157 

have  no  means  of  regaining  their  native  element,  and  are  sure  to  perish 
miserably  from  hunger. 

When  the  Whales  breathe,  they  are  forced  to  rise  to  the  surface  of 
the  sea,  and  there  make  a  number  of  huge  respirations,  which  are 
technically  called  "  spoutings,"  because  a  column  of  mixed  vapor  and 
water  is  ejected  from  the  nostrils,  or  "  blow-holes,"  and  spouts  upward 
to  a  great  height,  sometimes  as  much  as  twenty  feet.  In  order  to  enable 
the  animal  to  respire  without  exposing  itself  unnecessarily,  the  "  blow- 
holes "  are  placed  on  the  upper  part  of  the  head,  so  that  when  a  whale 
is  reposing  itself  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  there  is  very  little  of  its 
huge  carcase  visible,  except  the  upper  portion  of  the  head  and  a  part 
of  the  back.  The  "  spoutings  "  are  made  with  exceeding  violence,  and 
can  be  heard  at  some  distance. 

The  limbs  of  the  AVhales  are  so  modified  in  their  form  that  they  can 
hardly  be  recognized  by  their  external  appearance  alone  as  the  limbs 
of  a  veritable  mammal.  In  shape  they  closely  resemble  the  fins  of 
fish,  and  it  is  not  until  they  are  stripped  of  the  thick  skin  which  envelops 
them  that  the  true  limb  is  developed.  They  are,  in  fact,  abnormal 
developments  of  the  legs  in  order  to  suit  an  aquatic  life,  just  as  are  the 
wings  of  the  bat  for  an  aerial  life.  The  chief  use  of  these  organs 
seems  to  be  that  they  assist  the  animal  in  preserving  its  position  in  the 
water,  for  the  huge  carcase  rolls  over  on  its  back  as  soon  as  it  is  depriv- 
ed of  the  balancing-power  of  its  fins.  They  are  also  employed  for  the 
purpose  of  grasping  the  young  whenever  the  mother  Whale  is  anxious 
for  the  safety  of  her  offspring,  but  they  are  of  little  use  in  urging  the 
animal  through  the  water,  that  duty  being  almost  entirely  performed 
by  the  tail. 

The  skin  of  the  Whale  is  devoid  of  hair,  and  is  of  a  rather  peculiar 
structure,  as  is  needful  to  enable  it  to  resist  the  enormous  pressure  to 
which  it  is  constantly  subjected  at  the  vast  depths  to  which  the  animal 
descends.  The  skin  is  three-fold,  consisting  first  of  the  scarf-skin,  or 
epidermis ;  secondly,  of  the  retemucosum^  which  gives  color  to  the 
animal ;  and  thirdly,  of  the  true  skin,  which  is  modified  in  order  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  creature  which  it  defends.  The  blubber,  indeed, 
is  nothing  more  than  the  true  skin,  which  is  composed  of  a  number  of 
interlacing  fibres,  capable  of  containing  a  very  great  amount  of  oily 
matter.  This  blubber  is  never  less  than  several  inches  in  thickness, 
and  in  many  places  is  nearly  tw^o  feet  deep,  and  as  elastic  as  caoutchouc, 
offering  an  admirable  resistance  to  the  force  of  the  waves  and  the 
pressure  of  the  water.  In  a  large  Whale  the  blubber  will  weigh 
thirty  tons. 

The  Greenland  Whale,  Northern  Whale,  or  Right  Whale, 
as  it  is  indiflTerently  termed,  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Northern  Seas, 
where  it  is  still  found  in  great  abundance,  although  the  constant  persecu- 
14 


158  THE  GREENLAND  WHALE. 

tions  to  which  it  has  been  subjected  have  considerably  thinned   its 
numbers. 

This  animal  is,  when  fully  grown,  about  sixty  or  seventy  feet  in 
length,  and  its  girth  about  thirty  or  forty  feet.  Its  color  is  velvety 
black  upon  the  upper  part  of  the  body,  the  fins  and  the  tail ;  gray 
upon  the  junction  of  the  tail  with  the  body  and  the  base  of  the  fins, 

and  white  upon   the  abdomen   and   the 

— '='  fore-part  of  the  lower  jaw.     The  velvety 

'-  aspect  of  the  body  is  caused   by  the  oil 

which   exudes  from   the   epidermis   and 

%  aids  in    destroying   the  friction   of    the 

water.     Its   head    is    remaikably  large, 

being    one-third    of    the    length    of    the 

entire    bulk.     The  jaw    opens  very   far 

back,  and   in   a  large  Whale  is    about 

The  Greenland  Whale      sixteen  feet  in   length,  seven  feet  wide, 

{Balaena  mystketus).  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^  twelve  feet  in  height,  affording 

space,  as  has  been  quaintly  remarked,  for  a  jolly-boat  and  her  crew  to 

float  in. 

The  most  curious  part  of  the  jaw  and  its  structure  is  the  remarkable 
substance  which  is  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  whalebone. 

The  whalebone,  or  baleen,  is  found  in  a  series  of  plates,  thick  and 
solid  at  the  insertion  into  the  jaw,  and  splitting  at  the  extremity  into  a 
multitude  of  hair-like  fringes.  On  each  side  of  the  jaw  there  are 
more  than  three  hundred  of  these  plates,  which  in  a  fine  specimen 
are  about  ten  6r  twelve  feet  long,  and  eleven  inches  wide  at  their 
base.  The  weight  of  baleen  which  is  furnished  by  a  large  Whale  is 
about  one  ton.  This  substance  does  not  take  its  origin  directly  from 
the  gum,  but  from  a  peculiar  vascular  formation  which  rests  upon  it. 
These  masses  of  baleen  are  placed  along  the  sides  of  the  mouth  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  the  Whale  in  procuring  its  food  and  separating  it 
from  the  water. 

The  mode  of  feeding  which  is  adopted  by  the  Whale  is  as  follows : 
The  animal  frequents  those  parts  of  the  ocean  which  are  the  best  sup- 
plied with  the  various  creatures  on  which  it  feeds,  and  which  are  all 
of  very  small  size,  as  is  needful  from  the  size  of  its  gullet,  which  is 
not  quite  two  inches  in  diameter.  Small  shrimps,  crabs,  and  lobsters, 
together  with  various  molluscs  and  medusa,  form  the  diet  on  which  the 
vast  bulk  of  the  Greenland  Whale  is  sustained.  Driving  with  open 
mouth  through  the  congregated  shoals  of  these  little  creatures,  the 
Whale  engulfs  them  by  millions  in  its  enormous  jaws,  and  continues 
its  destructive  course  until  it  has  sufficiently  charged  its  mouth  with 
prey.  Closing  its  jaws  and  driving  out  through  the  interstices  of  the 
whalebone  the  water  which  it  has  taken  together  with  its  prey,  it  re- 


THE  SPERMACETI  WHALE.  '  159 

tains  the  captured  animals,  which  are  entangled  in  the  whalebone,  and 
swallows  them  at  its  ease. 

The  Whale  is  an  animal  of  very  great  value  to  civilized  and  to  sav- 
age men.  The  oil  which  is  procured  in  great  quantities  from  its  blub- 
ber and  other  portions  of  its  structure  is  almost  invaluable  to  us,  while 
the  bones  and  baleen  find  their  use  in  every  civilized  land.  To  the 
natives  of  the  polar  regions,  however,  the  Whale  is  of  still  greater 
value,  as  they  procure  many  necessaries  of  life  from  various  parts  of 
its  body,  eat  the  flesh,  and  drink  the  oil.  Repulsive  as  such  a  diet 
may  appear  to  us,  who  live  in  a  comparatively  warm  region,  it  is  an 
absolute  necessity  in  those  ice-bound  lands,  such  oleaginous  diet  being 
needful  in  order  to  keep  up  the  heat  of  the  body  by  a  bountiful  sup- 
ply of  carbon. 

As  far  as  is  yet  known,  the  Greenland  Whale  produces  only  a  sin- 
gle cub  at  a  birth.  When  first  born,  the  young  Whale  is  without  the 
baleen,  depending  upon  its  mother  for  its  subsistence  like  any  other 
young  mammal.  The  maternal  Whale  keeps  close  to  her  oflTspring 
until  the  baleen  is  grown,  and  does  not  forsake  it  until  it  is  capable  of 
supporting  itself.  The  young  Whales,  before  the  baleen  has  developed 
itself,  are  technically  termed  "  suckers,"  and  when  the  baleen  is  six 
feet  in  length  they  are  called  by  the  name  of  "size." 

The  Cachalot,  or  Spermaceti  Whale,  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
Whales,  an  adult  male — or  "  old  bull,"  as  it  is  called  by  the  whalers — 
measuring  from  seventy  to  eighty  feet  in  length,  and  thirty  feet  in  cir- 
cumference. The  head  is  enormously  long,  being  almost  equal  to  one- 
third  of  the  total  length.  Upon  the  back  there  is  rather  a  large  hump, 
which  rises  abruptly  in  front  and  tapers  gradually  toward  the  tail.  The 
color  of  the  Cachalot  is  a  blackish  gray,  somewhat  tinged  with  green 
upon  the  upper  portions  of  the  body.  Round  the  eyes  and  on  the  ab- 
domen it  is  of  a  grayish  white. 

This  species  is  chiefly  notable  on  account  of  the  valuable  substances 
which  are  obtained  from  its  body,  including  oil  and  spermaceti.  The 
oil  is  obtained  from  the  blubber,  which  is  not  very  thick  in  this  animal, 
being  only  fourteen  inches  in  depth  on  the  breast  and  eleven  inches  on 
the  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  is  therefore  not  so  abundant  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  of  the  animal  as  that  which  is  extracted  from  the 
Greenland  Whale.  Its  superior  quality,  however,  compensates  fully 
for  its  deficiency  in  quantity.  The  layer  of  blubber  is  by  the  whalers 
technically  called  the  "  blanket,"  probably  in  allusion  to  its  ofiSce  in 
preserving  the  animal  heat. 

The  spermaceti  is  almost  peculiar  to  a  few  species  of  the  genus  Ca- 
todon,  and  is  obtained  as  follows  : 

The  enormous  and  curiously-formed  head  is  the  great  receptacle  of 
the  spermaceti,  which  lies,  in  a  liquid  oily  state,  in  two  great  cavities 


160 


THE  SPERMACETI  WHALE. 


that  exist  in  the  huge  raass  of  tendinous  substance  of  which  the  head 
is  chiefly  composed.  When  the  whale  is  killed  and  towed  to  the  ship's 
side,  the  head  is  cut  ofl"  and  affixed  to  tackles  for  the  purpose  of  sup- 
porting it  in  a  convenient  position  for  the  extraction  of  this  valuable 
substance.     A  large  hole  is  cut  in  the  top  of  the  head,  and  a  number 


Spermaceti  AVhale  {Cdtodon  Macrocephalus). 

of  sailors  lower  their  buckets  into  the  cavity  and  bale  out  the  liquid 
matter. 

When  first  exposed  to  the  air  it  has  a  clear  oily  appearance,  but  af- 
ter it  has  been  subjected  to  the  action  of  the  atmosphere  for  a  few 
hours,  the  spermaceti  begins  to  separate  itself  from  the  oil,  and  in  a 
short  time  is  sufficiently  firm  to  be  removed  and  put  into  a  different 
vessel. 

The  amount  of  spermaceti  which  is  produced  from  the  head  of  a 
single  Whale  is  very  large  indeed.  From  a  Cachalot  that  only  meas- 
ured sixty-four  feet  in  length,  and  was  therefore  by  no  means  a  large 
one,  twenty-four  barrels  of  spermaceti  and  nearly  one  hundred  barrels 
of  oil  were  obtained. 

Ambergris,  that  curious  substance  whose  origin  so  long  baffled  the 
keenest  inquirers,  and  which  was  formerly  only  found  at  rare  inter- 
vals floating  on  the  waves  or  cast  upon  the  shore,  is  now  often  dis- 
covered within  the  intestines  of  the  Cachalot,  and  is  supposed  to  be  a 
morbid  secretion  peculiar  to  the  animal,  and  analogous  to  biliary  cal- 
culi. Fifty  pounds  weight  of  this  substance  have  been  found  in  a  sin- 
gle Whale,  and  on  one  occasion  a  single  piece  of  ambergris  of  the  same 
weight  was  discovered  on  the  coast  of  the  Bermudas  by  some  sailors, 
who  immediately  deserted  their  ship  and  escaped   to   England  with 


THE  SPERMACETI  WHALE.  161 

their  valuable  prize.  The  value  of  the  ambergris  is  rather  variable, 
but  it  is  always  a  costly  article. 

The  Spermaceti  Whale,  when  it  is  in  the  open  seas,  lives  chiefly  on  the 
"  squids,"  or  cuttle-fish,  which  swarm  in  the  ocean,  and  when  it  ap- 
proaches laud  feeds  on  various  fish.  It  seems,  however,  to  dislike  the 
propinquity  of  the  shore,  aud  is  very  seldom  taken  in  "  soundings."  It 
is  a  gregarious  animal,  being  seldom  seen  alone,  but  in  large  herds,  tech- 
nically called  "  schools,"  and  consisting  of  several  hundred  in  number. 
The  "  schools  "  are  generally  divided  into  two  bands,  the  one  consisting 
of  young  males  and  the  other  of  females.  Each  band  of  females  is  un- 
der the  command  of  several  large  males, 
who  exercise  the  strictest  discipline  over  -==^^fc 

their  harems,  and  will  not  permit  any  in- 
truder to  join  their  society.  From  their 
office,  these  leaders  are  called  the  school- 
masters. 

The  teeth  of  the  Spermaceti  Whale 
are    conical  and  slightly  curved,  some- 
times reaching  the  length  of  some  eight 
or   nine    inches.       To    Europeans   these  The  Spermaceti  Whale  {Cd- 
teeth   are    of    great   value,    but   to   the  ^^^^'^  3Iacrocephalus). 

Fijians,  Tongans,  etc.,  they  are  almost  priceless,  a  single  tooth  being 
thought  a  present  fit  for  one  king  to  make  to  another,  or  to  be  laid  up 
in  the  temple  as  an  oflTering  to  the  idol. 

The  Spermaceti  Whale  does  not  seem  to  choose  any  particular  por- 
tion of  the  year  for  the  production  of  its  young,  but  is  found  at  all  sea- 
sons in  charge  of  its  offspring.  Moreover,  young  Whales,  or  "  cubs," 
are  found  at  all  sizes  and  ages  simultaueously  roaming  the  seas,  either 
in  company  with  their  parents  or  turned  loose  upon  the  world  to  shift 
for  themselves.  There  is  but  a  single  cub  at  a  birth.  The  milk  of  the 
animal  is  exceedingly  rich  and  thick,  as  indeed  is  the  case  with  the 
milk  of  all  Whales. 

This  animal  is  very  widely  spread  over  the  world,  as  it  is  found 
in  almost  every  one  of  the  aqueous  portions  of  the  globe,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Polar  Seas.  Several  of  these  creatures  have  been  discov- 
ered off  our  own  coasts,  and  a  few  have  been  stranded  on  the  beach.  A 
Cachalot  measuring  fifty-four  feet  in  length  was  driven  ashore  in  the 
Firth  of  Forth  in  1769,  and  its  appearance  off  the  Orkneys  is  said  to 
be  no  very  uncommon  occurrence. 

DOLPHINS. 

The  members  of  this  family  do  not  possess  the  enormous  head  which 
characterizes  the  true  whales,  and  have  teeth  in  both  jaws,  although 
14*  L 


162  THE  NAEWHAL. 

they  are  liable  to  fall  out  at  an  early  age.  The  blow-holes  are 
united  together,  so  as  to  form  a  single  semilunar  opening,  which  is  set 
transversely  on  the  crown  of  the  head. 

The  word  Narwhal  is  derived  from  the  Gothic,  signifying  "  beaked 
whale,"  and  is  a  very  appropriate  term  for  the  Sea  Unicorn,  as  the 
animal  is  popularly  entitled.  The  head  of  the  Narwhal  is  round,  and 
convex  in  front,  the  lower  jaw  being  without  teeth,  and  not  so  wide  as 
the  upper  jaw.  From  the  upper  jaw  of  the  Narwhal  springs  the  curious 
weapon  which  has  gained  for  the  animal  a  world-wide  reputation. 

In  the  upper  jaw  of  the  young  or  the  female  Narwhal  are  found  two 
small  or  hollow  tusks,  imbedded  in  the  bone,  which,  in  the  female, 

are  generally  undeveloped  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  animal's  existence,  but  in  the 
male  Narwhal  are  strangely  modified.  The 
right  tusk  remains  in  its  infantine  state, 
excepting  that  the  hollow  becomes  filled 
with  bony  substance  ;  but  the  left  tusk  rap- 
idly increases  in  length,  and  is  developed 
into  a  long,  spiral,  tapering  rod  of  ivory, 
_       ,^  ,,,  sometimes  attainins^  to  the  length  of  eight 

Mo^eros)  or  t«»  <■<=«'•     The  tuAs  are  supposed  to  be 

formed  by  an  excessive  growth  of  the  ca- 
nine teeth,  and  not  of  the  incisors,  as  might  be  supposed  from  the 
position  which  they  occupy  in  the  jaw. 

The  food  of  the  Narwhal  consists  chiefly  of  marine  molluscs  and  of 
occasional  fish,  but  is  found  to  be  generally  composed  of  the  same  kind 
of  squid,  or  cuttle-fish,  which  supplies  the  gigantic  spermaceti  whale 
with  subsistence.  As  the  remains  of  several  flat  fish  have  been  discov- 
ered in  the  stomach  of  the  Narwhal,  it  was  supposed  by  some  authors 
that  the  animal  made  use  of  its  tusk  as  a  fish-spear,  transfixing  them  as 
they  lay  "sluddering"  on  the  mud  or  sand,  after  their  usual  fashion, 
thus  preventing  their  escape  from  the  toothless  mouth  into  which  the 
wounded  fish  are  then  received.  However  this  may  be,  the  force  of  the 
tusk  is  terrific  when  urged  with  the  impetus  of  the  creature  driving 
through  the  water  at  full  speed,  for  the  whole  combined  power  of  the 
weight  and  velocity  of  the  animal  is  directed  along  the  line  of  the  tusk. 
A  Narwhal  has  been  known  to  encounter  a  ship,  and  to  drive  its  tusk 
through  the  sheathing  and  deeply  into  the  timbers.  The  shock  was 
probably  fatal  to  the  assailant,  for  the  tooth  was  snapped  by  the  sudden 
blow,  remaining  in  the  hole  which  it  had  made,  and  acting  as  a  plug 
that  eflfectually  prevented  the  water  from  gaining  admission  into  the 
vessel. 

The  ivory  of  the  Narwhal's  tusk  is  remarkably  good  in  quality,  being 
hard  and  solid,  capable  of  receiving  a  high  polish,  and  possessing  the 


THE  PORPOISE. 


163 


property  of  retainiDg  its  beautiful  whiteness  for  a  very  long  period,  so 
that  a  large  Narwhal  horn  is  of  no  inconsiderable  commercial  value. 

The  native  Greenlauders  hold  the  Narwhal  in  high  estimation ;  for, 
independently  of  its  value,  it  is  welcomed  each  succeeding  year  as  the 
harbinger  of  the  Greenland  whale. 

The  oil  which  is  extracted  from  the  blubber  is  very  delicate,  but  is 
not  present  in  very  great  amount,  as  the  coating  of  fatty  substance  is 
seldom  more  than  three  inches  in  depth.  About  half  a  ton  of  oil  is  ob- 
tained from  a  large  specimen.  The  flesh  is  much  prized  by  the  natives, 
and  is  not  only  eaten  in  its  fresh  state,  but  is  carefully  dried  and  pre- 
pared over  the  fire. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  almost  entirely  black  upon  the  upper  sur- 
face of  the  body,  but  is  slightly  varied  by  streaks  and  patches  of  a 
deeper  tint.  The  sides  fade  into  grayish  white,  diversified  with  sun- 
dry gray  marks,  and  the  under  portions  of  the  body  are  white. 

Most  familiar  of  all  the  Dolphin  fraternity  is  the  well-known  Por- 
poise, or  Sea  Hog,  an  animal  which  may  be  seen  on  any  of  our  coasts. 


The  Porpoise  or  Porpesse  [Phoccena  communis). 

tumbling  about  on  the  waves  and  executing  various  gambols  in  the  ex- 
uberance of  its  sportive  feelings. 

Porpoises  are  very  gregarious  animals,  herding  together  in  large 
shoals,  and  sometimes  swimming  in  "  Indian  file,"  as  they  shoot  over 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  just  showing  their  black  and  glossy  backs  above 
the  water,  and  keeping  such  excellent  line  that  they  seem  to  be  an- 
imated by  one  spirit  and  one  will. 

As  might  be  presumed  from  the  formidable  array  of  sharp  teeth  with 


164  THE  DOLPHIN. 

which  the  jaws  are  studded,  and  which  are  so  arranged  that  the  upper 
and  lower  sets  interlock  when  the  animal  closes  its  mouth,  the  food  of 
the  Porpoise  consists  entirely  of  animal  substances,  and  almost  wholly 
of  fish,  which  it  consumes  in  large  quantities,  much  to  the  disgust  of 
human  fishermen.  Herrings,  pilchards,  sprats,  and  other  salable  fish 
are  in  great  favor  with  the  Porpoise,  which  pursues  its  finny  prey  to 
the  very  shores,  and,  driving  among  the  vast  shoals  in  which  these  fish 
congregate,  destroys  enormous  quantities  of  them.  The  fish  are  con- 
scious of  the  presence  of  their  destroyer,  and  flee  before  it  in  terror, 
often  flinging  themselves  into  the  certain  death  of  nets  or  shallow  wa- 
ter in  their  hope  to  escape  from  the  devouring  jaws  of  the  Porpoise. 
Even  salmon  and  such  large  fish  fall  frequent  victims  to  their  pursuer, 
which  twists,  turns,  and  leaps  with  such  continuous  agility  that  it  is 
more  than  a  match  for  its  swift  and  nimble  prey.  Not  even  the  marvel- 
lous leaping  powers  of  the  salmon  are  suflicient  to  save  them  from  the 
voracious  Porpoise,  which  is  not  to  be  baffled  by  any  such  impotent  devices. 

The  Porpoise  seems  to  keep  closely  to  the  coasts,  and  is  seldom  seen 
in  mid-ocean.  It  appears  to  be  a  migratory  animal,  as  the  season  of 
its  disappearance  from  one  locality  generally  coincides  with  that  of  its 
arrival  on  some  other  coast.  It  is  very  widely  spread,  appearing  to  in- 
habit with  equal  security  the  warm  waters  of  the  Mediterranean,  the 
cool  seas  of  our  own  coasts,  or  the  icy  regions  of  the  high  latitudes. 

The  length  of  a  full-grown  Porpoise  is  extremely  variable,  the  aver- 
age being  from  six  to  eight  feet.  The  color  of  the  Porpoise  is  a  blue- 
black  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  body,  and  a  bright  silvery  white  be- 
low ;  so  that  when  the  animal  executes  one  of  its  favorite  gyrations  the 
contrasting  tints  produce  a  strange  effect  as  they  rapidly  succeed  each 
other.     The  iris  of  the  eye  is  yellowish. 

The  word  "  Porpoise  "  is  corrupted  from  the  French  term  Porc-pois- 
son — i.  e.,  "  Hog  fish  " — and  bears  the  same  signification  as  its  German 
name,  Meerschwein. 

The  Dolphin  is  remarkable  for  the  enormous  number  of  teeth  which 
stud  its  mouth,  no  less  than  forty-seven  being  found  on  each  side  of 
both  jaws,  the  full  complement  being  one  hundred  and  ninety.  In  the 
head  of  one  specimen  were  found  fifty  teeth  on  each  side  of  each  jaiv, 
making  a  complement  of  tw^o  hundred  in  all.  -Between  each  tooth 
there  is  a  space  equal  to  the  w^idth  of  a  single  tooth,  so  that  when  the 
animal  closes  its  mouth  the  teeth  of  both  jaws  interlock  perfectly.  All 
the  teeth  are  sharply  pointed  and  flattened,  and  slightly  curved  back- 
ward, so  that  the  entire  apparatus  is  wonderfully  adapted  for  the  re- 
tention of  the  slippery  marine  creatures  on  which  the  Dolphin  feeds. 
Fish  of  various  kinds  form  the  usual  diet  of  the  Dolphin,  which  espe- 
cially delights  in  the  flat  fishes  of  our  coasts,  and  often  prowls  about 
the  shoals  of  herrings  and  pilchards  that  periodically  reach  our  shores. 


THE  MANATEE. 


165 


The  Dolphin  is  not  a  very  large  animal,  measuring,  when  fully 
grown,  from  six  to  ten  feet  in  length,  seven  fe^  being  the  usual  aver- 
age. Its  color  is  black  upon  the  back,  and  silvery  white  upon  the  ab- 
domen ;  while  the  flanks  are  grayish  white.  The  beautiful  colors  which 
have  been  said  to  play  about  the 
body  of  a  dying  Dolphin  are  not 
entirely  mythical,  but  belong 
rightly  to  one  of  the  fishes,  the 
coryphene,  or  dorado,  which  is 
popularly  called  the  Dolphin  by 
sailors.  _       ^ 

The   eyes   of  the   Dolphin   are  " 

small,  and  are  supplied  with  eye-     The  Dolphin  {Ddphinus  Ddphis). 
lids ;  the  pupil  of  the  eye  is  heart-shaped.     The  ears  have  but  a  very 
minute  external  aperture,  barely  admitting  an  ordinary  pin. 

It  is  a  lively  and  playful  animal,  and,  being  remarkably  active  in 
its  native  element,  is  fond  of  gambolling  among  the  waves,  and  engag- 
ing in  various  sports  with  its  companions.  Being  of  a  very  gregarious 
nature,  it  is  seldom  seen  alone,  but  prefers  to  associate  in  little  flocks 
or  herds,  and  is  in  the  habit  of  accompanying  ships  for  considerable 
distances,  hovering  about  the  vessel  and  executing  various  strange 
manoeuvres. 

The  Dolphin  produces  only  a  single  young  one  at  a  time,  and  nurses 
her  offspring  with  exceeding  tenderness  and  assiduity. 

The  common  Dolphin  is  found  in  the  European  seas,  and  in  the  At- 
lantic and  the  Mediterranean,  and  may  possibly  have  a  still  wider 
range. 

SIRENIA. 

The  Manatee,  or  Lamantine,  is  a  very  strange-looking  creature, 
appearing  like  a  curious  mixture  of  several  dissimilar  animals,  the  seal 
and  the  hippopotamus  being  predominant. 

There  are  several  species  of  Manatee,  two  of  which  are  found  in 
America  and  one  in  Africa,  but  always  on  those  shores  which  are 
washed  by  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  common  Manatee 
is  generally  about  nine  or  ten  feet  in  length,  and  is  remarkable  for  the 
thick  fleshy  disc  which  terminates  the  muzzle,  and  in  which  the  nostrils 
are  placed.  It  is  found  in  some  plenty  at  the  mouths  of  sundry  large 
rivers,  such  as  the  Orinoco  or  the  Amazon,  and  feeds  upon  the  algae 
and  other  herbage  which  grows  so  plentifully  in  those  regions.  By 
some  writers  the  animal  is  said  to  leave  the  water  entirely,  and  to 
search  for  its  food  upon  the  land,  but  this  assertion  is  now  ascertained 
to  be  incorrect.  It  is,  however,  in  the  habit  of  crawling  partly  out  of 
the  water,  and  has  a  strange  custom  of  elevating  its  head  and  shoul- 


166 


THE  RODENTS. 


ders  above  the  surface  in  such  a  manner  that  it  bears  some  resemblance 
to  a  human  beino^. 


The  Manatee  [Munatus  Australis). 


EODENTS. 

The  Rodents,  or  gna\Ying  animals,  derive  their  name  from  the  pe- 
culiar structure  of  their  teeth,  which  are  specially  fitted  for  gnawing 
their  way  through  hard  substances.  The  jaws  of  the  Rodents  are 
heavily  made,  and  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  head,  their  size 
being  needful  not  only  for  the  support  of  the  gnawing  teeth,  but  for 
their  continual  development.  There  are  no  canines,  but  a  wide  gap 
exists  between  the  incisors  and  the  molars,  which  are  nearly  flat  on 
their  surfaces,  and  are  well  suited  for  grinding  the  soft  substances  on 
which  these  animals  feed. 

The  structure  of  the  chisel-edged  incisor  teeth  is  very  wonderful,  and 
may  be  easily  understood  by  inspecting  the  teeth  of  a  rat,  mouse,  hare, 
or  rabbit. 

As  the  teeth  are  continually  worn  out  by  the  severe  friction  which 
they  undergo  unceasingly,  there  must  needs  be  some  provision  for  re- 
newing their  substance,  or  the  creature  would  soon  die  of  starvation. 
In  order  to  obviate  this  calamity,  the  base  of  the  incisor  teeth  pass 
deeply  into  the  jaw-bone,  where  they  are  continually  nourished  by  a 
kind  of  pulpy  substance  from  which  the  tooth  is  formed,  and  which 
adds  fresh  material  in  proportion  to  the  daily  waste. 

vSomething  more  is  needed  for  the  well-being  of  the  animal  than  the 


THE  BROWN  RAT.  167 

mere  growth  of  its  teeth ;  for  unless  their  chisel -like  edges  were  con- 
tinually kept  sharp,  they  would  be  of  little  use  for  cutting  their  way 
through  the  hard  substances  which  the  Rodents  are  in  the  habit  of 
gnawing.     This  result  is  attained  as  follows: 

The  enamel  which  covers  the  front  face  of  the  incisor  teeth  is  much 
harder  than  that  which  is  laid  upon  the  remaining  surfaces,  while  the 
dentine  which  makes  up  the  solid  mass  of  each  tooth  is  also  harder  in 
front  than  behind.  It  is  evident  that  when  these  teeth  are  employed 
in  their  usual  task,  the  softer  enamel  and  dentine  are  worn  away  very 
much  more  rapidly  than  the  remainder  of  the  teeth,  so  that  the  pecu- 
liar chisel-edge  of  the  teeth  is  continually  preserved.  Following — 
perhaps  unconsciously — the  structure  of  these  teeth,  our  cutlers  have 
long  been  accustomed  to  make  their  chisels  on  the  same  principle,  a 
thin  plate  of  steel  being  strengthened  with  a  thick  backing  of  iron. 

The  Rodent  animals  are  widely  spread  over  the  entire  globe,  and 
are  very  numerous,  comprising  nearly  one-third  of  the  mammalia. 

Few  animals  are  so  well  known  or  so  thoroughly  detested  as  the 
common  Brown  Rat,  or  Norway  Rat,  as  it  is  sometimes  erroneously 
called. 

It  is  an  exceedingly  voracious  animal,  eating  all  kinds  of  strange 
food,  and  not  sparing  its  own  species  in  times  of  scarcity.     The  havoc 
which  an  army  of  Ruts  will  make  among  the 
corn-ricks  is  almost  incredible,  while  they  carry 
on  their  depredation  with  so  much  secrecy  that 
an  unpractised  eye  would  think  the  stacks  to  be 
sound  and  unharmed.     Fortunately,  they  can 
easily  be  dislodged  from  any  rick  by  taking  it 
down  and  replacing  it  on  proper  "staddles," 
taking    great    care    that   no   stray   weeds   or 
branches  afford  a  foothold  to  these  persevering  The  Rat  (Mus  Decima- 
marauders.     While  the  rick  is  being  rebuilt,  '"'^^' 

no  particular  care  need  be  taken  to  shake  the  Rats  out  of  the  sheaves, 
for,  as  they  are  thirsty  animals,  they  will  be  forced  to  leap  from  the 
stack  in  search  of  water,  and  then  will  not  be  able  to  return. 

Mice  can  subsist  in  a  stack  by  means  of  the  rain  and  dew  which 
moisten  the  thatch,  and  may  often  be  seen  licking  the  straws  in  order 
to  quench  their  thirst.  But  the  Rats  are  less  tolerant  of  thirst,  and  are 
forced  to  evacuate  their  premises.  When  mice  and  Rats  are  found 
inhabiting  the  same  stack,  the  former  animals  reside  in  the  upper  parts, 
and  the  Rats  in  the  lower. 

Rats  are  not  without  their  use,  especially  in  large  towns,  which  but 
for  their  never-failing  appetites  would  often  be  in  very  sad  case. 
Taking,  for  example,  London  itself,  we  find  that  the  sewers  which 
underlie  its  whole  extent  are  inhabited  by  vast  hordes  of  Rats,  which 


168 


THE  MOUSE. 


perform  the  office  of  scavengers  by  devouring  tbe  mass  of  vegetable 
and  animal  offal  which  is  daily  cast  into  those  subterranean  passages, 
and  which  would  speedily  breed  a  pestilence  were  it  not  removed  by 
the  ready  teeth  of  the  Rats.  So  that,  when  kept  within  proper  bounds, 
the  Rat  is  a  most  useful  animal,  and  will  continue  to  be  so  until  the 
drainage  of  towns  is  constructed  in  a  different  manner. 

Rats  are  very  cleanly  animals,  always  washing  themselves  after 
every  meal,  and  displaying  the  greatest  assiduity  in  making  their  toilet. 
They  also  exhibit  considerable  delicacy  of  palate  wherever  they  find  a 
sufficiency  of  provisions,  although  they  are  in  no  way  nice  in  their  diet 
when  pressed  by  hunger.  If,  for  example,  a  party  of  Rats  discover  an 
entrance  into  a  butcher's  storehouse,  they  are  sure  to  attack  the  best 
parts  of  the  meat,  utterly  disdaining  the  neck,  the  shin,  or  other  coarse 
pieces. 

There  is  one  peculiarity  in  the  structure  of  Rats  which  is  worthy  of 
notice.  These  animals  are  able  not  only  to  ascend  a  perpendicular 
tree  or  wall  by  the  aid  of  their  sharp  hooked  claws,  but  also  to 
descend  headforemost  with  perfect  ease.  In  order  to  enable  them 
to  perform  this  feat,  their  hind-legs  are  so  made  that  the  feet  can 
be  turned  outward,  and  the  claws  hitched  upon  any  convenient  pro- 
jections. 

However  unpromising  a  subject  the  Rat  may  appear,  it  has  often 
been  tamed,  and  is  a  very  much  more  educatable  animal  than  could  be 
supposed.  It  will  obey  its  master's  commands  with  promptitude,  and 
has  been  known  to  learn  very  curious  tricks. 

"  Y"  little  vulgar  Mouse,"  as  it  is  quaintly  termed  by  old  Topsel,  is 
a  truly  pretty  little  creature,  with  its  brown-gray  back,  gray  throat  and 

abdomen,  soft  velvety  fur,  its  lit- 
tle bright  black  bead-like  eyes,  and 
squirrel-like  paws.  A  detailed 
description  of  so  familiar  an  an- 
imal would  be  quite  unnecessary, 
and  we  will  therefore  proceed  to 
its  habits  and  manners. 

Like  the  Rat,  it  frequents  both 
town  and  country,  doing  an  in- 
finity of  damage  in  the  former, 
but  comparatively  little  harm  in 
the  latter.     In  the  country  it  at- 

rp  .     T.,  , ,,      ,,,     ,  taches  itself  mostly  to  farmyards, 

Ihe  Mouse  (i/us  MitscuUis).  ,  .^        .  ^      .    .-,       -  i 

'  where  it  gams  access  to  the  ricks, 

and  when  once  firmly  established  is  not  so  easily  dislodged  as  its  larger 

relative  the  Rat.     However,  if  the  rick  be  kept  under  cover,  the  Mice 

cannot  make  any  lengthened  stay,  for  the  cover  keeps  off  the  rain,  on 


THE  HARVEST  MOUSE. 


169 


which  they  chiefly  depend  for  drink,  and  they  are  then  obliged  to  leave 
the  stack  in  search  of  water.  If  the  rick  be  placed  on  staddles,  it  will 
then  be  safe  from  these  little  pests. 

They  are  odd  little  animals,  and  full  of  the  quaintest  garaesoraeness, 
as  may  be  seen  by  any  one  who  will  only  sit  quite  still  and  watch  them 
as  they  run  about  a  room  which  they  specially  affect.  They  are  to  the 
full  as  inquisitive  as  cats,  and  will  examine  any  new  piece  of  furniture 
with  great  curiosity. 

The  Mouse  is  a  marvellously  prolific  animal,  producing  its  young 
several  times  in  the  course  of  the  year,  and  at  a  very  early  age.  The 
nests  are  made  in  any  sheltered  spot,  and  formed  from  any  soft  sub- 
stance, such  as  rags,  paper,  or  wool,  that  the  mother  can  procure. 


The  Harvest  Mouse  {Miciomys  minutu.s). 

Smallest,  and  perhaps  the  prettiest,  of  the  British  mammalia,  the 
elegant  little  Harvest  Mouse  next  claims  our  attention.  The  total 
length  of  this  tiny  creature  is  not  quite  five  inches,  its  tail  being  nearly 
two  inches  and  a  half  in  length.  The  color  of  its  fur  is  a  delicate 
reddish  brown,  the  base  of  each  hair  taking  the  darker  tint  and  the 

15 


170 


THE  HAMSTER. 


point  warming  into  red,  while  the  under  parts  of  the  abdomen  are 
white.  The  line  of  demarcation  between  the  brown  and  white  is  well 
defined. 

The  description  wliich  is  given  of  the  Harvest  Mouse  and  its  wonder- 
ful nest  by  the  Rev.  Gilbert  \yhite  is  so  well  known  that  it  need  only 
be  casually  mentioned.  I  have  fortunately  had  opportunities  of 
verifying  his  observations  by  means  of  a  nest  which  was  found  in  a 
field  in  Wiltshire  by  some  mowers. 

Independently  of  its  small  size,  the  Harvest  Mouse  may  be  distin- 
guished from  a  young  ordinary  Mouse  by  its  short  ears,  narrow  head, 
slender  body,  and  less  projecting  eyes. 

The  short,  stui'dy,  stupid  rodent  which  is  so  famous  under  the  name 
of  the  Hamster  is  widely  spread  over  many  parts  of  Northern  Europe, 
where  it  is  an  absolute  pest  to  the  agriculturists,  who  wage  unceasing 
war  against  so  destructive  an  animal.  Before  proceeding  to  the  habits 
and  character  of  the  Hamster,  a  short  description  of  its  external 
appearance  will  be  necessary. 

The  color  of  its  fur  is  a  grayish  fawn  on  the  back,  deepening  into 
black  on  the  under  portions  of  the  body,  and  softening  into  a  yellow 
hue  upon  the  head  and  face.  The  otherwise  uniform  tinting  of  the  fur 
is  relieved  by  some  patches  of  whitish  yellow  upon  the  cheeks,  shoul- 
ders, and  sides.  The  creature  is  furnished  with  two  large  cheek-pouches, 
which  are  capable  of  containing  a  considerable  amount  of  food,  and 
which  can  be  inflated  with  air  at  the  pleasure  of  the  animal.  The 
length  of  the  adult  Hamster  is  about  fifteen  inches,  the  tail  being  only 
three  inches  long. 

The  Hamster  is  most  destructive  to  the  crops,  whether  of  corn,  peas, 
or  beans,  and  when  the  autumn  approaches  begins  to  plunder  the  fields 

in  a  most  systematic 
manner,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  laying  up  a 
winter  store  of  pro- 
visions. By  dint  of 
dexterous  manage- 
ment, the  animal  fills 
its  cheek-pouches 
with  grain,  pressing 
it  firmly  with  its 
paws,  so  as  to  lose  no 
space,  and  then  car- 
ries ofl"  its  plunder  to 
its  subterranean  treasury,  where  it  disgorges  the  contents  of  the 
pouches,  and  returns  for  another  supply.  The  husbandmen  are  so 
well  aware  of  this  propensity  that  they  search  after  the  habitation  of 


The  Hamster  {Qicetus  frumentark 


THE  WATER  VOLE.  171 

the  Hamster  after  the  harvest  is  over,  and  often  recover  considerable 
quantities  of  the  stolen  grain.  The  destructive  capability  of  the  an- 
imal may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  a  single  Hamster  has  been 
known  to  hoard  no  less  than  sixty  pounds  of  corn  in  its  home,  while 
a  hundredweight  of  beans  have  been  recovered  from  the  storehouses 
of  another  specimen. 

The  skin  of  the  Hamster  is  of  some  value  in  commerce,  so  that  the 
hunters  make  a  double  use  of  a  successful  chase,  for  they  not  only  re- 
cover the  stolen  property  of  the  agriculturist,  but  gain  some  profit  by 
selling  the  skins. 

There  are  many  animals  which  have  been  saddled  with  a  bad  reputa- 
tion merely  on  account  of  an  unfortunate  resemblance  to  another  animal 
of  really  evil  character.  Among  these  misused  innocents  the  Water 
Vole — popularly  called  the  Water  Rat — is  very  conspicuous,  as  the 
poor  creature  has  been  commonly  supposed  to  be  guilty  of  various 
poaching  exploits  which  were  really  achieved  by  the  ordinary  brown  rat. 

It  is  quite  true  that  rats  are  often  seen  on  the  river-banks  in  the  act 
of  eating  captured  fish,  but  these  culprits  are  only  the  brown  rats  which 
have  migrated  from  the  farmyards  for  the  summer  months,  and  intend 
to  return  as  soon  as  autumn  sets  in.  The  food  of  the  true  Water  Rat 
— or  Water  Vole,  as  it  is  more  correctly  named — is  chiefly  of  a  vegeta- 
ble nature,  and  consists  almost  entirely  of  various  aquatic  plants  and 
roots.  The  common  "  mare's  tail,''  or  Equisetum,  is  a  favorite  article 
of  diet  with  the  Water  Vole,  and  I  have  often  seen  it  feeding  on  the 
bark  of  the  common  rush.  Many  years  ago  I  shot  a  Water  Vole  as  it 
was  sitting  upon  a  water-lily  leaf  and  engaged  in  eating  the  green  seeds ; 
and  on  noticing  the  kind  of  diet  on  which  the  animal  was  feeding,  I  de- 
termined to  watch  the  little  creatures  with  more  care.  My  own  testi- 
mony coincides  precisely  with  that  of  other  observers,  for  I  never  yet 
saw  the  true  snub-nosed,  short-eared,  yellow-toothed  Vole  engaged  in 
eating  animal  food,  although  the  brown  rat  may  be  often  detected  in 
such  an  act. 

Many  communications  have  been  made  to  me  on  the  subject,  written 
for  the  most  part  by  persons  who  have  seen  water-side  rats  engaged  in 
catching  and  eating  fish,  and  have  thought  that  the  delinquents  were  the 
true  Water  Vole.  Indeed,  the  Vole  is  allied  very  closely  to  the  beavei', 
and  partakes  of  the  vegetarian  character  of  that  animal. 

The  color  of  the  Water  Vole  is  a  chestnut  brown,  dashed  with  gray 
on  the  upper  parts  and  fading  to  gray  below.  The  ears  are  so  short  that 
they  are  hardly  perceptible  above  the  fur.  The  incisor  teeth  are  of  a 
light  yellow,  and  are  very  thick  and  strong.  The  tail  is  shorter  than 
that  of  the  common  rat,  hardly  exceeding  half  the  length  of  the  head 
and  body.  The  average  length  of  a  full-grown  Water  Vole  is  thirteen 
inches,  the  tail  being  about  four  inches  and  three-quarters  long. 


172 


THE  CAMPAGNOL  AND  THE  LEMMING. 


The  Campagnol,  or  Short-tailed  Field  Mouse,  is  even  more 
destructive  in  the  open  meadows  than  the  common  gray  mouse  in  the 
barns  or  ricks;  for,  not  contenting  itself  with  plundering  the  ripened 
crops  of  autumn,  it  burrows  beneath  the  ground  at  sowing  time,  and 
devours  the  seed-wheat  which  has  just  been  laid  in  the  earth.  Besides 
these  open-air  depredations,  it  makes  inroads  into  ricks  and  barns,  and 
by  dint  of  multitudinous  numbers  does  very  great  harm. 

The  color  of  the  Campagnol  is  ruddy  brown  on  the  upper  surface  of 
the  body,  and  gray  on  the  abdomen  and  chest.  The  ears  are  rounded 
and  very  small,  closely  resembling  those  of  the  water  vole.  The  tail  is 
only  one-third  the  length  of  the  body,  and  the  total  length  of  the  an- 
imal is  rather  more  than  five  inches.     As  it  belongs  to  the  same  genus 


The  Campagnol  or  Short-tailed  Field  Mouse  {Arvicola  arvdlis) 


as  the  water  vole,  and  is  very  closely  related  to  that  animal,  it  some- 
times goes  by  the  name  of  Field  Vole. 

At  uncertain  and  distant  intervals  of  time,  many  of  the  northern 
parts  of  Europe,  such  as  Lapland,  Norway,  and  Sweden,  are  subjected 
to  a  strange  invasion.  Hundreds  of  little,  dark,  mouse-like  animals 
sweep  over  the  land,  like  clouds  of  locusts  suddenly  changed  into  quad- 
rupeds, coming  from  some  unknown  home,  and  going  no  one  knows 
whither.  These  creatures  are  the  Lemmings,  and  their  sudden  ap- 
pearances are  so  entirely  mysterious  that  the  Norwegians  look  upoii 
them  as  having  been  rained  from  the   clouds  upon  the  earth. 

Driven  onward  by  some  overpowering  instinct,  these  vast  horaes. 
travel  in  a  straight  line,  permitting  nothing  but  a  smooth  perpenaic- 
ular  wall  or  rock  to  turn  them  from  their  course.  If  they  should  hap- 
pen to  meet  with  any  living  being,  they  immediately  attack,  knowing 


THE  LEMMING. 


173 


no  fear,  but  only  urged  by  undiscriminating  rage.  Any  river  or  lake 
they  swim  without  hesitation,  and  seem  rather  to  enjoy  the  water  than 
to  fear  it.  If  a  stack  or  a  corn-rick  should  stand  in  their  way  they  set- 
tle the  matter  by  eating  their  way  through  it,  and  will  not  be  turned 


/  -^ 


The  Lemming  {3Iy6des  Lemmus). 

from  their  direct  course  even  by  fire.  The  country  over  which  they 
pass  is  utterly  devastated  by  them,  and  it  is  said  that  cattle  will  not 
touch  the  grass  on  which  a  Lemming  has  trodden. 

These  migrating  hosts  are  accompanied  by  clouds  of  predaceous  birds 
and  by  many  predaceous  quadrupeds,  who  find  a  continual  feast  spread 
for  them  as  long  as  the  Lemmings  are  on  their  pilgrimage.  While  they 
are  crossing  the  rivers  or  lakes,  the  fish  come  in  for  their  share  of  the 
banquet,  and  make  great  havoc  among  their  columns.  It  is  a  very  re- 
markable fact  that  the  reindeer  is  often  seen  in  chase  of  the  Lemmings  ; 
and  the  Norwegians  say  that  the  deer  is  in  the  habit  of  eating  them. 
This  statement,  however,  seems  to  be  of  rather  doubtful  character.  The 
termination  of  these  extraordinary  migrations  is  generally  in  the  sea, 
where  the  survivors  of  the  much-reduced  ranks  finally  perish.  Mr. 
Lloyd  mentions  that  just  before  his  visit  to  Wermeland  the  Lemming 
had  overrun  the  whole  country.  The  primary  cause  of  these  strange 
migrations  is  generally  thought  to  be  hunger.  It  is  fortunate  for  the 
country  that  these  razzias  occur  only  at  rare  intervals,  a  space  of  some 
ten  or  fifteen  years  generally  elapsing  between  them,  as  if  to  fill  up  the 
places  of  those  w^hich  were  drowned  or  otherwise  killed  in  the  preced- 
ing migration. 

The  Lemmings  feed  upon  various  vegetable  substances,  such  as  grass, 
reeds,  and  lichens,  being  often  forced  to  seek  the  last-named  plant  be- 
neath the  snow,  and  to  make  occasional  air-shafts  to  the  surface.  Even 
when  engaged  in  their  ordinary  pursuits,  and  not  excited  by  the  raigra- 

15* 


174 


THE  BEAVER. 


torial  instinct,  they  are  obstinately  savage  creatures.  Mr.  Metcalfe  de- 
scribes them  as  swarming  in  the  forest,  sitting  two  or  three  on  every 
stump,  and  biting  the  dogs'  noses  as  they  came  to  investigate  the  cha- 
racter of  the  irritable  little  animals.  If  they  happened  to  be  in  a  path- 
way, they  would  not  turn  aside  to  permit  a  passenger  to  move  by  them, 
but  boldly  disputed  the  right  of  way,  and  uttered  defiance  in  little  sharp, 
squeaking  barks. 

The  color  of  the  Lemming  is  a  dark  browmish  black,  mixed  irreg- 
ularly with  a  tawny  hue  upon  the  back,  and  fading  into  a  yellowish 
white  upon  the  abdomen.  Its  length  is  not  quite  six  inches,  the  tail 
being  only  half  an  inch  long. 

The  Common  Beaver  has  earned  a  world-wide  reputation  by  the 
wonderful  instinct  which  it  displays,  independently  of  its  very  great 
value  in  producing  costly  fur  and  perfume. 

This  animal  occurs  in  the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  Asia,  but 
is  found  in  the  greatest  profusion  in  North  America.  In  days  long 
gone  by,  the  Beaver  w-as  an  inhabitant  of  England. 


The  Beaver  {Castor  Fiber). 

The  Beavers  live  in  societies,  varying  considerably  in  number,  and 
united  together  in  the  formation  of  w^orks  which  may  fairly  be  consid- 
ered as  belonging  to  the  profession  of  the  engineer.  They  prefer  to 
make  their  habitations  by  small  clear  rivers  and  creeks,  or  close  to 
large  springs,  although  they  sometimes  take  up  their  abode  on  the 
banks  of  lakes. 

'  Lest  they  should  not  have  a  sufficient  depth  of  water  in  all  weath- 
ers and  at  all  seasons,  the  Beavers  are  in  the  habit  of  building  veritable 
dams,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  the  water  to  the  required  level.  These 
dams  are  composed  of  tree-branches,  mud,  and  stones,  and,  in  order  ef- 
fectually to  resist  the  action  of  the  water,  are  about  ten  or  twelve  feet 


ITS  DAM  AND  LODGE.  175 

in  thickness  at  the  bottom,  although  they  are  only  two  feet  or  so  wide 
at  the  summit. 

In  forming  the  dam,  the  Beaver  does  not  thrust  the  ends  of  the  stakes 
into  the  bed  of  the  river,  as  is  often  supposed,  but  lays  them  down  hor- 
izontally, and  keeps  them  in  their  place  by  heaping  stones  and  mud 
upon  them.  The  logs  of  which  the  dam  is  composed  are  about  three  feet 
in  length,  and  vary  extremely  in  thickness.  Generally,  they  are  about 
six  or  seven  inches  in  diameter,  but  they  have  been  known  to  measure 
no  less  than  eighteen  inches.  An  almost  incredible  number  of  these 
logs  is  required  for  the  completion  of  one  dam,  as  may  be  supposed 
from  the  fact  that  a  single  dam  will  sometimes  be  three  hundred  yards 
in  length,  ten  or  twelve  feet  thick  at  the  bottom,  and  of  a  height  vary- 
ing according  to  the  depth  of  water. 

Before  employing  the  logs  in  this  structure,  the  Beavers  take  care  to 
separate  the  bark,  which  they  carry  away,  and  lay  up  for  a  winter  store 
of  food. 

Near  the  dams  are  built  the  beaver-houses,  or  "  lodges,"  as  they  are 
termed — edifices  as  remarkable  in  their  way  as  that  which  has  just 
been  mentioned.  They  are  composed  chiefly  of  branches,  moss,  and 
mud,  and  will  accommodate  five  or  six  Beavers  together.  The  form 
of  an  ordinary-sized  Beaver's  lodge  is  circular,  and  its  cavity  is  about 
seven  feet  in  diameter  by  three  feet  in  height.  The  walls  of  this  struc- 
ture are  extremely  thick,  so  that  the  external  measurement  of  the  same 
lodges  will  be  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  and  seven  or  eight  feet 
in  height.  The  roofs  are  all  finished  ofi*  with  a  thick  layer  of  mud, 
laid  on  with  marvellous  smoothness,  and  carefully  renewed  every  year. 
As  this  compost  of  mud,  moss,  and  branches  is  congealed  into  a  solid 
mass  by  the  severe  frosts  of  a  North  American  winter,  it  forms  a  very 
sufficient  defence  against  the  attacks  of  the  Beaver's  great  enenj^,  the 
wolverene,  and  cannot  readily  be  broken  through,  even  with  the  help 
of  iron  tools.  The  precise  manner  in  which  the  Beavers  perform  their 
various  tasks  is  not  easy  to  discern,  as  the  animals  work  only  in  the 
dark. 

Around  the  lodges  the  Beavers  excavate  a  rather  large  ditch,  too 
deep  to  be  entirely  frozen,  and  into  this  ditch  the  various  lodges  open, 
so  that  the  inhabitants  can  pass  in  or  out  without  hindrance.  This 
precaution  is  the  more  necessary,  as  they  are  poor  pedestrians,  and 
never  travel  by  land  as  long  as  they  can  swim  by  water.  Each  lodge 
is  inhabited  by  a  small  number  of  Beavers,  whose  beds  are  arranged 
against  the  wall,  each  bed  being  separate,  and  the  centre  of  the  cham- 
ber being  left  unoccupied. 

In  order  to  secure  a  store  of  winter  food,  the  Beavers  take  a  vast 
number  of  small  logs,  and  carefully  fasten  them  under  water  in  the 
close  vicinity  of  their  lodges.     When  a  Beaver  feels  hungry  he  dives 


176  THE  ONDATRA. 

to  the  store-heap,  drags  out  a  suitable  log,  carries  it  to  a  sheltered  and 
dry  spot,  nibbles  the  bark  away,  and  then  either  permits  the  stripped 
log  to  float  down  the  stream  or  applies  it  to  the  dam. 

We  must  now  bestow  a  little  time  on  the  curious  odoriferous  sub- 
stance which  is  called  "  castoreum  "  by  the  learned,  and  "  bark-stone  " 
by  the  trappers.  This  substance  is  secreted  in  two  glandular  sacs  which 
are  placed  near  the  root  of  the  tail,  and  gives  out  an  extremely  pow- 
erful odor. 

To  the  castoreum  the  trapper  is  mostly  indebted  for  his  success,  for 
the  Beavers  are  strangely  attracted  by  this  substance,  and  if  their  nos- 
trils  perceive  its  distant  scent,  the  animals  will  sit  upright,  sniff  about 
in  every  direction,  and  absolutely  squeal  with  excitement.  Taking 
advantage  of  this  curious  propensity,  the  hunter  always  carries  a  sup- 
ply of  castoreum  in  a  closed  vessel,  and  when  he  comes  to  a  convenient 
spot  for  placing  his  trap,  he  sets  the  trap  and  then  proceeds  to  man- 
ufacture his  bait.  This  process  is  simple  enough,  consisting  merely  of 
taking  a  little  twig  of  wood  about  nine  inches  long,  chewing  one  end 
of  it,  and  dipping  it  in  the  castoreum.  The  trap  is  now  laid  so  as  to 
be  covered  by  about  six  inches  of  water,  and  the  stick  arranged  so  that 
its  perfumed  tip  projects  from  the  water.  Any  Beaver  which  scents 
this  bait  will  most  certainly  come  to  it,  and  will  probably  be  captured 
in  the  trap. 

The  Ondatra,  Musquash,  or  Musk  Eat,  is  a  native  of  Northern 
America,  where  it  is  found  in  various  places  above  the  twentieth  de- 
gree of  north  latitude. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  a  dark  brown  on  the  upper  portions  of 
its  body,  tinged  with  a  reddish  hue  upon  its  neck,  ribs,  and  legs,  the 
abdomen  being  ashy  gray ;  the  tail  is  of  the  same  dark  hue  as  the 
body.^  In  total  length  it  rather  exceeds  two  feet,  of  which  measure- 
ment the  tail  occupies  about  ten  inches.  The  incisor  teeth  are  bright 
yellow,  and  the  nails  are  white.  The  whole  coloring  of  the  animal  is 
so  wonderfully  like  the  hue  of  the  muddy  banks  on  which  it  resides 
that  a  practised  naturalist  has  often  mistaken  the  Ondatras  for  mere 
lumps  of  mud  until  they  began  to  move,  and  so  dispelled  the  illusion. 
The  hinder  feet  of  the  Ondatra  are  well  webbed,  and  their  imprint  on 
the  soft  mud  is  very  like  that  of  a  common  duck. 

The  food  of  the  Ondatra  in  a  wild  state  appears  to  be  almost  wholly 
of  a  vegetable  nature,  although,  when  confined  in  a  cage,  one  of  these 
animals  has  been  seen  to  eat  mussels  and  oysters,  cutting  open  the  soft- 
est shells  and  extracting  the  inmates,  and  waiting  for  the  hard-shelled 
specimens  until  they  either  opened  of  their  own  accord  or  died.  Al- 
though the  Ondatra  is  a  clumsy  walker,  it  will  sometimes  travel  to 
some  distance  from  the  water-side,  and  has  been  noticed  on  a  spot 
nearly  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  any  water.     These  animals  have 


THE  PORCUPINE. 


177 


also  been  detected  in  ravaging  a  garden,  which  they  had  plundered 
of  turnips,  parsnips,  carrots,  maize,  and  other  vegetables.  The  mif-v 
chievous  creatures  had  burrowed  beneath  them,  bitten  through  their 
roots,  and  carried  them  away  to  their  subterranean  storehouses.  The 
maize  they  had  procured  by  cutting  the  stalks  near  the  level  of  the 
ground. 

The  Ondatra  lives  mostly  in  burrows,  which  it  digs  in  the  banks  of 
the  river  in  which  it  finds  its  food,  but  sometimes  takes  up  its  abode  in 
a  different  kind  of  habitation,  according  to  the  locality  and  the  soil.  In 
the  stiff  clay  banks  of  rivers  the  Ondatra  digs  a  rather  complicated 
series  of  tunnels,  so.me  of  them  extending  to  a  distance  of  fifteen  or 


The  Musquash,  or  Musk  Kat,  or  Ondatra  (Fiber  Zibel/iicus). 

twenty  yards,  and  sloping  upward.  There  are  generally  three  or  four 
entrances,  all  of  which  open  under  water,  and  unite  in  a  single  cham- 
ber, where  the  Ondatra  makes  its  bed.  The  couch  of  the  luxurious  an- 
imal is  composed  of  sedges,  water-lily  leaves,  and  similar  plants,  and  is 
so  large  as  to  fill  a  bushel  basket.  On  marshy  ground,  and  especially 
if  it  be  supplied  by  springs,  the  Ondatra  builds  little  houses  that  rise 
about  three  or  four  feet  above  the  water,  and  look  something  like  small 
haycocks. 

The  Porcupine  has  long  been  rendered  famous  among  men  by  the 
extraordinary  armory  of  pointed  spears  wdiich  it  bears  upon  its  back, 
and  which  it  was  formerly  fabled  to  launch  at  its  foes  with  fatal  pre- 
cision. 

This  animal  inhabits  many  parts  of  the  world,  being  found  in  Africa, 

M 


178  SPINES  OF  THE  PORCUPINE. 

Southern  Europe,  and  India.  The  spines  or  quills  with  which  it  is  fur- 
nished vary  considerably  in  length,  the  longest  quills  being  flexible  and 
not  capable  of  doing  much  harm  to  an  opponent.  Beneath  these  is  a 
plentiful  supply  of  shorter  spines,  from  live  to  ten  inches  in   length, 


^:<^ 

The  Porcupine  {Hystrix  O-istdta). 

which  are  the  really  effective  weapons  of  this  imposing  array.  Their 
hold  on  the  skin  is  very  slight,  so  that  when  they  have  been  struck  into  a 
foe,  they  remain  fixed  in  the  wound,  and,  unless  immediately  removed, 
work  sad  woe  to  the  sufferer.  For  the  quill  is  so  constructed  that  it 
gradually  bores  its  way  into  the  flesh,  burrowing  deeper  at  every  move- 
ment, and  sometimes  even  causing  the  death  of  the  wounded  creature. 
In  Africa  and  India,  leopards  and  tigers  have  frequently  been  killed  in 
whose  flesh  were  pieces  of  Porcupine  quills  that  had  penetrated  deeply 
into  the  body,  and  had  even  caused  suppuration  to  take  place.  In  one 
instance  a  tiger  was  found  to  have  his  paws,  ears,  and  head  filled  with 
the  spines  of  a  Porcupine,  which  he  had  vainly  been  endeavoring  to  kill. 

The  Porcupine  is  a  nocturnal  animal,  seldom  venturing  out  of  its  re- 
treat as  long  as  the  sun  is  above  the  horizon,  and  is  therefore  not  often 
seen  even  in  the  localities  which  it  most  prefers.  It  is  said  not  to  re- 
quire the  presence  of  water,  but  to  quench  its  thirst  by  eating  the  suc- 
culent roots  and  plants  which  it  digs  out  of  the  ground.  Its  food  is 
entirely  of  a  vegetable  nature,  and  consists  of  various  kinds  of  herbage, 
as  well  as  of  bark,  fruit,  and  roots.  This  animal  takes  up  its  abode  in 
deep  burrows  which  it  excavates,  and  in  which  it  is  supposed  to  under- 
go a  partial  hibernation. 

As  the  spines  of  the  Porcupines  are  of  some  commercial  value,  and 
are  used  for  many  purposes,  the  chase  of  the  animal  is  rather  popular 
in  the  countries  which  it  inhabits,  and  derives  a  further  interest  from 


THE  CANADIAN  PORCUPINE. 


179 


the  fact  that  the  Porcup'me,  although  a  timid  creature,  can  make  a  very 
powerful  resistance  when  it  is  driven  to  despair. 

The  upper  parts  of  the  body  are  covered  with  hair  instead  of  quills, 
and  upon  the  head  and  neck  there  is  a  kind  of  crest,  composed  of  very 
long  stiff  hairs,  which  can  be  erected  or  depressed  at  pleasure.  Like 
the  hedgehog,  it  can  coil  itself  into  a  ball  when  it  is  surprised  at  a  dis- 
tance from  its  haven  of  refuge,  and  can  present  such  an  array  of  threat- 
ening spikes  that  it  is  quite  safe  from  any  enemy  excepting  man.  When, 
however,  the  animal  is  at  peace,  it  is  capable  of  depressing  the  bristling 
spears,  and  can  squeeze  itself  through  an  opening  which  would  appear 
at  first  sight  to  be  hardly  large  enough  to  permit  the  passage  of  an  an- 
imal of  only  half  its  size. 

The  total  length  of  the  common  Porcupine  is  about  three  feet  six 
inches,  the  tail  being  about  six  inches  long.  Its  gait  is  plantigrade, 
slow,  and  clumsy,  and  as  it  walks  its  long  quills  shake  and  rattle  in  a 
very  curious  manner.  Its  muzzle  is  thick  and  heavy,  and  its  eyes  small 
ajul  pig-like. 

The  Urson,  Cawquaw,  or  Canadian  Porcupine,  is  a  native  of 
North  America,  where  it  is  most  destructive  to  the  trees  among  which 
it  lives. 

Its  chief  food  consists  of  living  bark,  which  it  strips  from  the  branches 
as  cleanly  as  if  it  had  been  furnished  with  a  sharp  knife.  When  it  be- 
gins to  feed,  it  ascends  the  tree, 
commences  at  the  highest 
branches,  and  eats  its  way  reg- 
ularly downward.  Having  fin- 
ished one  tree,  it  takes  to  another, 
and  then  to  a  tliird,  always  choos- 
ing those  that  run  in  the  same 
line ;  so  that  its  path  through  the 
woods  may  easily  be  traced  by  the 
line  of  barked  and  dying  trees 
which  it  leaves  in  its  track.  A 
single  Urson  has  been  known  to 
destroy  a  hundred  trees  in  a 
single  winter,  and  another  is  re- 
corded as  having  killed  some  two 
or  three  acres  of  timber. 

The  Urson  is  not  so  fully  de-  ti^^'canadian  Po^ri^xK,  or  Urson 
tended  with  spines  as  the  preced-  [Eretkizon  dorsdtum). 

ing  animal,  but   is    covered    w^ith 

long,  coarse,  blackish-brown  hair,  among  which  the  short  pointed 
quills  are  so  deeply  set  that,  except  in  the  head,  tail,  and  hinder 
quarters,  they  are  scarcely  perceptible.     These  spines  are  dyed  of 


180 


THE  AGOUTI. 


various  colors  by  the  American  Indians,  and  are  then  used  in  the 
decoration  of  their  hunting-pouches,  moccasins,  and  other  articles, 
and  after  the  quills  are  extracted  the  remainder  of  the  fur  is 
sufficiently  soft  to  be  used  for  clothing.  The  flesh  of  the  Urson  is 
considered  eatable,  and  is  said  to  bear  some  resemblance  to  flabby 
pork. 

The  leno-th  of  the  Urson  is  not  quite  four  feet,  the  head  and  body 
measuring  rather  more  than  three  feet,  and  the  tail  about  nine  inches. 
The  teeth  are  of  a  bright  orange. 

The  Agouti  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  Paraguay,  Guiana,  and  other 
neighboring  countries,  but  its  numbers  have  been  considerably  thinned 

in  many  spots  where  cul- 
tivation has  been  indus- 
triously carried  on.  In 
some  of  the  Antilles, 
where  it  formerly  swarm- 
ed, it  is  now  nearly  ex- 
tirpated, and  in  St.  Do- 
mingo is  but  rarely  seen. 
All  its  movements  are 
sharp,  quick,  and  active, 
and  even  while  sitting 
upright  and  engaged  in 
fe(^ling  itself  by  the  as- 
The  Agouti  (Da^yproda  Agouti).  sistance  of  its   fore-paws, 

its  head  is  being  continually  turned  from  side  to  side,  and  its  bright 
eyes  glance  in  every  direction  in  order  to  guard  against  a  surprise. 
As  it  is  a  nocturnal  animal,  and  spends  the  whole  of  the  day  in 
its  dark  hiding-place,  its  ravages  take  place  under  cover  of  night, 
and  are  the  more  difficult  to  be  repelled.  Its  usual  resting-place  is  in 
the  cleft  of  a  rock,  or  in  the  hollow  of  some  decaying  tree,  Avhere 
twenty  or  thirty  of  these  animals  may  be  found  living  amicably  to- 
gether. 

In  these  dark  recesses  the  young  Agoutis  are  born,  and  are  laid  upon 
a  soft  bed  of  leaves,  where  they  remain  for  a  few  weeks,  and  then  sally 
out  with  their  parents  on  their  nocturnal  expeditions.  There  are  gen- 
erally two  broods  in  each  year,  and  the  number  of  young  at  a  birth  is 
from  three  to  six. 

The  name  Dasyproda,  which  has  been  given  to  the  genus,  refers  to 
the  thick  hair  which  falls  over  the  hind-quarters,  and  nearly  conceals 
the  little  pointed  stump  of  a  tail.  The  hair  of  this  part  of  the  body 
is  a  bright  golden  brown,  but  on  the  back  and  sides  the  fur  has  a  curi- 
ous speckled  aspect,  on  account  of  the  black,  brown,  and  yellow  tints 
with  whicb  each  hair  is  marked.     On  the  greater  part  of  the  body  the 


THE  CAPYBARA. 


181 


fur  is  only  about  one  inch  in  length,  but  the  golden  brown  hair  of  the 
hinder  parts  is  more  than  four  inches  long.  In  character  it  is  coarse, 
though  glossy. 

The  Capybara  is  a  native  of  tropical  America,  and  is  by  far  the 
largest  of  all  the  living  rodent  animals,  rather  exceeding  three  feet  in 
total  length,  and  being  so  bulkily  made  that  when  it  walks  its  abdomen 
nearly  touches  the  ground.  The  muzzle  of  this  animal  is  heavy  and 
blunt,  the  eyes  are  set  high  in  the  head  and  are  moderate  in  size,  the 


^r 


The  Capybara  (Hydrochoervs  Capybara). 

tail  is  wanting,  and  the  toes  are  partially  connected  together  by  a  de- 
velopment of  the  skin.  The  color  of  the  Capybara  is  rather  indeter- 
minate, owing  to  the  manner  in  which  the  hairs  are  marked  with  black 
and  yellow,  so  that  the  general  idea  which  its  coat  presents  is  of  a  dingy, 
blackish  gray  with  a  tinge  of  yellow. 

It  is  a  water-loving  animal,  using  its  webbed  feet  with  great  power, 
and  fleeing  instinctively  to  the  stream  when  terrified  by  real  or  imag- 
inary danger.  It  not  only  swims  well,  but  is  a  good  diver,  and  when 
endeavoring  to  escape  from  a  foe  always  tries  to  evade  its  pursuer  by 
diving  as  long  as  its  breath  will  hold  out,  and  permitting  the  top  of  its 
head  to  appear  above  the  surface  only  when  it  rises  for  the  purpose  of 
respiration.  As,  how^ever,  it  can  remain  under  water  for  a  space  of 
eight  or  ten  minutes,  it  finds  no  difficulty  in  escaping  from  any  ordi- 
nary foe,  if  it  can  only  gain  the  shelter  of  the  welcome  stream.  The 
food  of  this  animal  is  exclusively  vegetable,  and  its  curious  teeth  are 
needed  in  order  to  bruise  the  herbage  on  which  it  feeds  into  a  mass 
sufficiently  pulpy  to  enable  it  to  pass  through  the  very  narrow 
throat. 

16 


182  THE  GUINEA   PIG  AND  THE  COMMON  HARE. 

Few  animals  have  received  less  appropriate  names  than  the  Guinea 
Pig  ;  for  it  is  not  a  pig,  but  a  rodent,  and  does  not  come  from  Guinea, 
hut  from  Southern  America.  Being  a  very  pretty  little  creature,  it  is 
in  some  favor  as  a  domestic  pet :  and,  as  it  is  remarkably  prolific,  it 
very  rapidly  increases  in  numlaers,  if  it  is  well  defended  from  cold  and 
preserved  from  damp. 

The  food  of  the  Guinea  Pig  is  exclusively  of  a  vegetable  nature, 
and  while  feeding  it  generally  sits  on  its  hinder  feet,  and  carries  its 
food  to  its  mouth  with  its  fore-paws. 

An  idea  of  the  extreme  fecundity  of  this  animal  may  be  formed 
from  the  fact  that  it  begins  to  breed  at  ten  months  of  age,  that  each 

brood  consists  of  an  aver- 
age of  six  or  eight,  and 
that  in  less  than  six 
weeks  after  the  birth  of 
the  yotmg  family  they 
are  driven  to  shift  for 
y\    s     themselves,   and   the 
^-^•*     mother  is  then  ready  for 
'>^^H^^3iSC^-'2^^^'^'''     "         another  brood.      The 

_,       .,  r,      ,^^  ■     A      '  \  yo^ng    Guinea   Pigs   are 

The  Guinea  Pig  iCavia  Aperea).  t         °      -xi    ^i      • 

born  with  their  eyes 

open,  and   covered  with  hair„  and  do  not  attain  their  full  dimensions 

until  they  have  reached  the  age  of  eight  or  nine  months. 

The  color  of  the  Guinea  Pig  is  very  variable,  but  is  generally  com- 
posed of  white,  red,  and  black,  in  patches  of  different  size  and  shape 
in  each  individual.  The  bare  portions  of  the  skin  are  flesh-colored, 
and  the  eye  is  broAvn.  The  animal  is  of  little  direct  use  to  mankind, 
as  its  flesh  is  held  in  very  low  estimation,  and  its  hair  is  so  slightly 
attached  to  the  skin  that  its  coat  is  useless  to  the  furrier. 

The  Common  Hare  is  known  from  the  rabbit  by  the  redder  hue  of 
its  fur,  the  great  proportionate  length  of  its  black-tipped  ears,  which 
are  nearly  an  inch  longer  than  the  head,  by  its  very  long  hind-legs, 
and  its  large  and  prominent  eyes.  When  fully  grown  it  is  of  consid- 
erable size,  weighing  on  the  average  about  eight  or  nine  pounds,  and 
sometimes  attaining  the  weight  of  tw-elve,  or  even  thirteen,  pounds.  In 
total  length  it  rather  exceeds  two  feet,  the  tail  being  about  three  inches 
long.  The  color  of  the  common  Hare  is  grayish  brown  on  the  upper 
portions  of  the  body,  mixed  with  a  dash  of  yellow ;  the  abdomen  is 
white,  and  the  neck  and  breast  are  yellowish  white.  The  tail  is  black 
on  the  upper  surface  and  white  underneath,  so  that  w^hen  the  creature 
runs  it  exhibits  the  white  tail  at  every  leap.  Sometimes  the  color  of 
the  Hare  deepens  into  black,  and  there  are  many  examples  of  albino 
specimens  of  this  animal. 


THE  RABBIT. 


183 


The  Hare  {Lepus  timidus). 


It  is  a  woDderfully  cunning  animal,  and  is  said  by  many  who  have 
closely  studied  its  habits  to  surpass  the  fox  in  ready  ingenuity.  Appear- 
ing to  understand  the  method  by 
which  the  hounds  are  enabled  to 
track  its  footsteps,  it  employs  the 
most  crafty  manoeuvres  for  the  pur- 
pose of  throwing  them  off  the  scent. 
Sometimes  it  will  run  forward  for 
a  considerable  distance,  and  then, 
after  returning  for  a  few  hundred 
yards  on  the  same  track,  will  make 
a  great  leap  at  right  angles  to  its 
former  course,  and  lie  quietly  hid- 
den while  the  hounds  run  past  its 
spot  of  concealment.  It  then  jumps 
back  to  its  track,  and  steals  quietly 
out  of  sight  in  one  direction,  while 
the  hounds  are  going  in  the  other. 

The  Hare  does  not  live  in  burrows,  like  the  rabbit,  but  only  makes 
a  slight  depression  in  the  ground,  in  which  she  lies  so  flatly  pressed  to 
the  earth  that  she  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  soil  and  dried 
herbage  among  which  she  has  taken  up  her  temporary  abode. 

It  is  a  tolerably  prolific  animal,  beginning  to  breed  when  only  a  year 
old,  and  producing  four  or  five  young  at  a  litter.  The  young  Hares — 
or  "  leverets,"  as  they  are  technically  termed — are  born  with  their  eyes 
open,  and  covered  with  hair.  For  the  space  of  four  or  five  weeks  they 
remain  under  the  care  of  their  mother,  but  after  that  time  they  sep- 
arate, and  depend  upon  themselves  for  subsistence. 

Resembling  the  hare  in  general  appearance  and  in  many  of  its  habits, 
the  Rabbit  is  readily  distinguished  from  that  animal  by  its  smaller 
dimensions,  its  different  color,  its  shorter  and  uniformly  brown  ears, 
and  its  shorter  limbs. 

The  Rabbit  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  British  quadrupeds, 
having  taken  firm  possession  of  the  soil  into  w^hich  it  has  been 
imported,  and  multiplied  to  so  great  an  extent  that  its  numbers  can 
hardly  be  kept  within  proper  bounds  without  annual  and  wholesale 
massacres.  As  it  is  more  tamable  than  the  hare,  it  has  long  been 
ranked  amongst  the  chief  of  domestic  pets,  and  has  been  so  modified  by 
careful  management  that  it  has  developed  itself  into  many  permanent 
varieties,  which  vvould  be  considered  as  different  species  by  one  who 
saw  them  for  the  first  time. 

The  burrows  in  which  the  Rabbit  lives  are  extremely  irregular  in 
their  construction,  and  often  communicate  with  each  other  to  a  re- 
markable extent. 

From  many  of  its  foes  the  Rabbit  escapes  by  diving  suddenly  into 


184  THE  CHINCHILLA. 

its  burrow ;  but  there  are  some  animals,  such  as  the  stoat,  weasel,  and 
ferret,  which  follow  it  into  its  subterranean  abode  and  slay  it  within  the 
precincts  of  its  own  home. 

When  the  female  Rabbit  is  about  to  become  a  mother,  she  quits  the 
ordinary  burrows,  and  digs  a  special  tunnel  for  the  purpose  of  shelter- 
ing her  young  family 

"      "^    '^^  ^  bodA^,  so  as  to  make  a 

Babbits  (i.pus  c^m,Wu«).  g^ft  and  warm  bed 

for  the  expected  occupants.  The  young  Rabbits  are  about  seven  or 
eight  in  number,  and  are  born  without  hair  and  with  their  eyes  closed. 
Not  until  they  have  attained  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve  days  are  they 
able  to  open  their  eyelids  and  to  see  the  world  into  which  tliey  have 
been  brought. 

Rabbits  are  terribly  destructive  animals,  as  is  too  well  known  to  all 
residents  near  a  warren,  and  are  sad  depredators  in  field,  garden,  and 
plantation,  destroying  in  very  wantonness  hundreds  of  plants  which 
they  do  not  care  to  eat.  They  do  very  great  damage  to  young  trees, 
delighting  in  stripping  them  of  the  tender  bark  as  far  as  they  can  reach 
while  standing  on  their  hind-feet.  Sometimes  they  eat  the  bark,  but  in 
many  cases  they  leave  it  in  heaps  upon  the  ground,  having  chiselled  it 
from  the  tree  on  which  it  grew,  and  to  which  it  afforded  nourishment, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  exercising  their  teeth  and  keeping  them  in  proper 
order,  just  as  a  cat  delights  in  clawing  the  legs  of  chairs  and  tables. 

In  its  native  state  the  fur  of  the  Rabbit  is  nearly  uniform  brown,  but 
when  the  animal  is  domesticated  its  coat  assumes  a  variety  of  hues,  such 
as  pure  white,  jetty  black,  pied  dun,  slated  gray,  and  many  other  tints. 

The  Chinchilla,  so  well  known  for  its  exquisitely  soft  and  delicate 
fur,  belongs  to  the  group  of  animals  which  are  known  to  zoologists  un- 
der the  title  of  Jerboidas,  and  which  are  remarkable  for  the  great  com- 
parative length  of  their  hinder  limbs,  and  their  long  hair-clothed  tails. 

The  Chinchilla  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  America,  living  chiefly 
among  the  higher  mountainous  districts,  where  its  thick  silken  fur  is  of 
infinite  service  in  protecting  it  from  the  cold.  It  is  a  burrowing  an- 
imal, digging  its  subterranean  homes  in  the  valleys  which  intersect  the 
hilly  country  in  which  it  lives,  and  banding  together  in  great  numbers 
in  certain  favored  localities.     The  food  of  the  Chinchilla  is  exclusively 


THE  GERBOAS. 


185 


of  a  vegetable  nature,  and  consists  chiefly  of  various  bulbous  roots. 
While  feeding  it  sits  upon  its  hinder  feet,  and  conveys  the  food  to  its 
mouth  with  its  fore-feet,  which  it  uses  with  singular  adroitness.  It  is  a 
most  exquisitely  cleanly  animal,  as  might  be  supposed  from  the  beauti- 
ful delicacy  of  its  fur,  for  we  may  always  remark  that  whenever  an  an- 
imal is  remarkable  for  the  coloring  or  the  texture  of  its  natural  robes, 


The  Chinchilla  {Chinchilla  Idniger). 

it  is  always  most  assiduous  in  preserving  them  from  any  substance  that 
might  stain  their  purity  or  clog  their  fibres. 

The  fur  of  the  Chinchilla  is  of  a  delicate  clear  gray  upon  the  back, 
softening  into  a  grayish  white  on  the  under  portions,  and  its  texture  is 
marvellously  soft  and  fine. 

The  Gerboas  bear  a  curious  resemblance  to  the  kangaroos,  not  only 
in  their  general  appearance,  but  in  many  of  their  habits.  Like  those 
animals,  they  leap  over  distances  which  are  absolutely  enormous  when 
the  size  of  their  bodies  is  taken  into  consideration  ;  they  constantly  sit 
upright  in  order  to  observe  surrounding  objects,  their  food  is  of  the  same 
nature,  and  they  carry  it  to  their  mouths  in  a  similar  manner.  Their 
fore-limbs  are  extremely  short,  while  their  hinder  legs  are  developed  to 
a  very  great  extent,  and  they  are  all  furnished  with  a  long,  hair-clad 
tail,  which  serves  to  aid  them  in  preserving  their  balance  while  shoot- 
ing through  the  air. 

The  most  familiar  of  these  singular  creatures  is  the  Common  Ger- 
16  * 


186 


THE  COMMON  GEEBOA. 


BOA  of  Northern  Africa.  This  beautiful  and  active  little  animal  is 
hardly  larger  than  an  ordinary  English  rat,  although  its  peculiar  at- 
titudes and  its  extremely  long  tail  give  it  an  appearance  of  greater 
dimensions  than  it  really  possesses.  The  general  color  of  its  fur  is  a 
light  dun  washed  with  yellow,  the  abdomen  being  nearly  white.  The 
tail  is  of  very  great  proportionate  length,  is  cylindrical  in  shape,  and 
tufted  at  its  extremity  with  stiff*  black  hairs,  the  extreme  tip  being 
white. 

The  Gerboa  is  a  burrowing  animal,  and  lives  in  society,  so  that  it 
forms  large  natural  "  warrens  "  in  those  parts  of  the  country  where 
it  takes  up  its  residence.  It  is  much  hunted  by  the  natives,  who  set 
some  store  by  its  rather  unpalatable  flesh,  and  is  captured  by  stopping 
up  as  many  burrows  as  can  conveniently  be  reached,  and  killing  the 


The  Gerboa  {Dipus  JEgyptius). 

Gerboas  as  they  rush  aff'righted  from  the  open  entrances.  This  is,  in- 
deed, almost  the  only  successful  mode  of  capturing  these  fleet  and 
agile  creatures  ;  for  if  they  can  once  leap  away  from  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  their  pursuers,  they  scour  over  the  ground  with  such  won- 
derful speed  that  they  can  hardly  be  overtaken  even  by  a  trained  grey- 
hound. 

The  food  of  these  animals  consists  chiefly  of  roots  and  similar  sub- 


THE  COMMON  DOKMOUSE.  187 

stances,  which  they  dig  out  of  the  earth,  but  they  also  feed  od  various 
kinds  of  grain. 

Next  in  order  to  the  Gerboas  is  placed  the  small  group  of  animals 
which  are  sufficiently  familiar  by  the  name  of  Dormice.  This  term 
signifies  "  sleepy  mouse,"  and  is  most  appropriate  to  the  lethargic  little 
creatures,  which  spend  the  greater  part  of  their  time  in  somnolency. 

The  Common  Dormouse  is  found  abundantly  in  many  districts  of 
England,  as  well  as  on  the  Continent,  and  is  in  great  favor  as  a  do- 
mestic pet.  The  total  length  of  this  pretty  little  animal  is  rather  more 
than  five  inches,  the  tail  being  two  and  a  half  inches  long.  The  color 
of  its  fur  is  a  light  reddish  brown  upon  the  back,  yellowish  white  upon 
the  abdomen,  and  white  on  the  throat.  These  tints  belong  only  to  the 
adult  animal,  as  in  the  juvenile  Dormouse  the  fur  is  nearly  of  the  same 
color  as  that  of  the  common  mouse,  the  ruddy  tinge  appearing  only  on 


The  Dormouse  {Muscardinus  aveUandrius). 

the  head  and  sides.  It  is  not  until  the  little  creatures  have  nearly  com- 
pleted a  year  of  existence  that  they  assume  the  beautiful  hues  of  adult 
age.  The  tail  is  thickly  covered  with  hair,  which  is  arranged  in  a 
double  row  throughout  its  length,  and  forms  a  slight  tuft  at  the  extrem- 
ity. The  head  is  rather  large  in  proportion  to  the  body,  the  ears  are 
large  and  broad,  and  the  eye  full,  black,  and  slightly  prominent. 

The  Dormouse  is  a  nocturnal  animal,  passing  the  whole  of  the  day 
in  its  warm  and  neatly-constructed  nest,  which  is  generally  built  in  the 
most  retired  spot  of  some  thick  bush  or  small  tree.  It  is  a  very  active 
little  creature,  leaping  from  branch  to  branch  and  traversing  the  intri- 
cate mazes  of  the  brushwood  with  such  ready  featness  that  it  can  scarce- 
ly be  taken  by  a  human  hand.  The  food  of  the  Dormouse  consists  of 
various  fruits  and  seeds,  such  as  acorns,  nuts,  haws,  and  corn. 


188  THE  FLYING  SQUIKRELS. 

As  the  auimal  is  one  of  the  hibernators,  it  is  in  the  habit  of  gather- 
ing together  a  supply  of  dried  food,  to  afford  occasional  nourishment 
during  the  long  wintry  months  when  it  lies  in  its  bed,  imprisoned  in 
the  bauds  of  irresistible  sleep.  Like  many  other  hibernating  animals, 
the  Dormouse  becomes  exceedingly  fat  toward  the  end  of  autumn,  and 
is  therefore  enabled  to  withstand  the  severity  of  the  winter  season  bet- 
ter than  if  it  retired  into  its  home  in  only  its  ordinary  condition.  As 
soon  as  the  weather  becomes  cold  the  Dormouse  retires  into  its  nest,  and 
there  slumbers  throughout  the  entire  winter,  waking  up  for  a  short  pe- 
riod whenever  a  milder  temperature  breaks  the  severity  of  the  frost, 
and,  after  taking  a  little  nourishment,  sinking  again  into  its  former 
lethargy. 

The  Dormouse  is  rather  gregarious  in  its  habits,  so  that  whenever 
one  nest  is  discovered  several  others  may  generally  be  found  at  no  great 
distance.  These  nests  are  of  considerable  dimensions,  being  about  six 
mches  in  diameter,  and  are  composed  of  grass,  leaves,  and  similar  sub- 
stances.    The  entrance  to  the  nest  is  at  the  side. 

The  young  animals  are  generally  three  or  four  in  number  at  a  birth, 
Mud  make  their  appearance  about  the  end  of  spring  or  the  beginning 
of  summer.  It  is  probable  that  there  may  be  a  second  brood  toward 
the  end  of  autumn,  as  Mr.  Bell  received  from  one  locality  in  the  month 
of  September  one  half-grown  Dormouse,  which  had  evidently  been  born 
in  the  spring,  and  three  very  little  specimens,  which  were  apparently 
not  more  than  a  week  or  two  old.  They  are  born  blind,  but  are  able 
to  see  in  a  very  few  days,  and  in  a  remarkably  short  space  of  time  be- 
come independent  of  their  parents. 

The  beautiful  and  active  group  of  animals  of  which  the  English 
Squirrel  is  so  familiar  an  example  are  found  in  almost  every  portion 
of  the  globe,  and,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  live  almost  exclusively 
among  the  branches  of  trees.  In  order  to  enable  them  to  maintain  a 
firm  clasp  upon  the  branches  and  bark,  they  are  furnished  with  long 
finger-like  toes  upon  the  fore-feet,  which  are  armed  with  sharp  curved 
claws. 

In  the  Flying  Squirrels,  of  which  the  Taguan  is  a  good  exam- 
])ie,  the  skin  of  the  flanks  is  modified  in  a  method  similar  to  that  which 
has  already  been  noticed  in  the  Petaurists.  The  skin  is  so  largely  de- 
veloped that  when  the  animal  is  sitting  at  its  ease,  its  paws  but  just  ap- 
pear from  under  the  soft  folds  of  the  delicate  and  fur-clad  membrane. 
When  the  creature  intends  to  make  one  of  its  marvellous  leaps,  it 
stretches  all  its  four  limbs  to  their  fullest  extent,  and  is  upborne  through 
the  air  on  the  parachute-like  expansion  which  extends  along  its  sides. 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  India,  where  it  is  tolerably  common. 

It  is  rather  a  large  species,  as  its  total  length  is  nearly  three  feet,  the 
tail  occupying  about  one  foot  eight  inches,  measured  to  the  extremity 


THE  JELEKANG. 


189 


of  the  long  hairs  with  which  it  is  so  thickly  clothed.  The  general  color 
of  this  animal  is  a  clear  chestnut,  deepening  into  brown  on  the  back, 
and  becoming  more  ruddv  on  the  sides.     The  little  pointed  ears  are 

covered  with  short  and  soft 
fur  of  a  delicate  brown,  and 
the  tail  is  heavily  clad  with 
bushy  hairs,  grayish  black 
^  on  the  basal  portions  of  that 
member,  and  sooty  black 
toward  the  extremity.  The 
parachute  membrane  is  del- 
icately thin,  scarcely  thicker 
than  ordinary  writing-paper, 
when  it  is  stretched  to  its 
utmost,  and  is  covered  with 
hair  on  both  its  surfaces,  the 
fur  of  the  upper  side  being 
chestnut  and  that  of  the 
The  Taguan  Flying  Squirrel  [Pteromys  lower  surface  nearly  white. 
^^'«"''**^'^«)-  A   stripe    of   grayish-black 

hairs  marks  the  edge  of  the  membrane,  and  the  entire  abdomen  of 
the  animal,  together  with  the  throat  and  the  breast,  is  covered  with 
beautiful  silver  grayish-white  fur. 

The  true  Squirrels  possess  no  parachute  flying  membrane,  as  do  the 
Flying  Squirrels,  nor  are  they  furnished  with  cheek-pouches,  as  is  the 
case  with  the  Ground  Squirrels  in  America. 

One  of  the  most  handsome  of  the  Squirrels  is  the  Jelerang,  or 
Javan  Squirrel,  a  native  of  Java,  part  of  India,  and  Cochin  China. 
Its  total  length  is  about  two  feet,  the  tail  and  body  being  equal  to  each 
other  in  measurement.  In  color  it  is  one  of  the  most  variable  of  an- 
imals, so  that  it  has  been  more  than  once  described  under  different 
names. 

In  the  British  Museum  are  several  specimens  of  this  animal,  and 
all  of  them  present  many  varieties  in  point  of  color,  while  some  are  so 
very  unlike  each  other  that  most  persons  would  consider  them  to  be 
separate  species.  Some  specimens  of  this  animal  are  pale  yellow, 
while  others  are  deep  brown  ;  in  some  the  color  is  tolerably  uniform, 
while  in  others  it  is  variously  pied,  but  in  all  there  seems  to  be  a  toler- 
ably decided  contrast  between  a  darker  and  lighter  tint.  From  this 
circumstance  it  has  sometimes  been  termed  Scmrus  bicolor,  or  the  Two- 
colored  Squirrel. 

In  general,  the  darker  hue  prevails  on  the  back  and  upper  portions 
of  the  body,  and  the  lighter  tint  is  abruptly  separated  from  it  by  a  de- 
cided line  of  demarcation.     The  usual  color  of  the  Jelerang  is  a  dark 


190 


THE  ENGLISH  SQUIRREL. 


brownish  black  on  the  back,  the  top  of  the  head  yellowish,  and  the 
.sides  and  abdomen  golden  yellow. 

The  Jelerang  is  rather  common  in  the  countries  which  it  inhabits, 
and,  as  it  is  very  retiring  in  its  habits  and  dreads  the  proximity  of 
mankind,  it  is  not  so  mischievous  a  neighbor  as  is  the  case  with  the 
greater  number  of  the  Squirrels.  It  lives  chiefly  in  the  depths  of  the 
forests,  and  feeds  upon  the  wild  fruits  that  grow  without  any  aid  from 
the  hand  of  mankind.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and,  being  an  active,  amus- 
ing animal,  as  well  as  possessed  of  a  beautifully  marked  coat,  is  often 
domesticated  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  same  country.  The  flesh  of 
the  Jelerang  is  thought  to  be  very  good,  and  is  eaten  by  the  natives. 

Every  one  is  familiar  with  the  lively  English  Squirrel,  which 
makes  the  woods  joyous  with  its  active  gambols,  and  is  so  often  re- 
paid for  its  gayety  by  being  captured  and  compelled  to  make  sport 
for  its  owner  within  the  narrow  precincts  of  a  wire  cage. 

This  little  an- 
imal is  plentiful  in 
many  parts  of 
England,  and  in- 
deed is  generally 
ibund  wherever 
tliere  is  a  tolerably 
large  copse,  or  a 
wood  of  moderate 
dimensions.  In 
private  grounds 
and  parks  it  luxu- 
riates, knowing  in- 
stinctively that  it 
may  wander  at  its 
own  will,  uncheck- 
ed and  unharmed. 
Among  the  tree 
branches  its  pow- 
The  Squirrel  {Sciurus  Europceus).  g].g  of  activity  are 

absolutely  surprising,  for  it  will  fling  itself  through  such  distances,  and 
at  such  a  height,  that  it  seems  likely  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  every  in- 
stant. Yet  it  very  seldom  makes  a  false  step,  and  even  if  it  should 
lose  its  foothold,  it  is  not  at  all  disconcerted,  but  spreads  out  its  legs 
and  bushy  tail  to  their  utmost  expansion,  so  that  it  presents  a  large 
surface  to  the  air,  and  comes  quite  lightly  to  the  earth,  even  though  it 
may  have  leaped  from  a  considerable  height. 

On  the  ground  it  is  not  so  much  at  its  ease  as  when  it  is  careering 
amid  the  branches  of  some  large  tree,  and,  as  soon  as  it  feels  alarmed, 


ITS  NEST  AND  FOOD.  191 

always  makes  the  best  of  its  way  toward  the  nearest  tree-trunk.  Its 
gait  is  a  kind  of  semi-gallop,  and  even  when  ascending  a  perpendicular 
tree-stem  it  maintains  the  same  galloping  movements,  and  ascends  to  a 
considerable  height  in  a  very  small  space  of  time. 

During  the  hotter  hours  of  the  day  the  Squirrel  is  never  seen,  being 
quietly  asleep  in  its  lofty  nest ;  but  in  the  early  morning,  or  in  the 
cooler  hours  of  the  afternoon,  it  comes  from  its  retreat,  and  may  be 
seen  leaping  about  the  branches  in  search  of  the  various  fruits  on 
which  it  feeds. 

The  nest  of  the  Squirrel  is  an  admirable  specimen  of  natural  arch- 
itecture, and  is  almost  invariably  placed  in  the  fork  of  some  lofty 
branch,  where  it  is  concealed  from  the  view  of  any  one  passing  under 
the  tree,  and  is  out  of  the  reach  of  any  ordinary  foe,  even  if  its 
situation  were  discovered.  Sometimes  it  is  built  in  the  hollow  of  a 
decayed  bough,  but  it  is  always  admirably  concealed  from  sight.  In 
form  it  is  nearly  spherical,  and  is  made  of  leaves,  moss,  grass,  and 
other  substances,  woven  together  in  so  artistic  a  manner  that  it  is 
impermeable  to  rain,  and  cannot  be  dislodged  from  its  resting-place  by 
the  most  violent  wind.  A  single  pair  of  Squirrels  inhabit  the  same 
nest,  and  seem  to  consider  some  particular  tree  as  their  home,  remaining 
in  it  year  after  year. 

The  female  Squirrel  produces  about  three  or  four  young  at  a  lit- 
ter, the  little  ones  being  born  in  the  middle  of  summer,  and  remaining 
under  the  care  of  their  parents  until  the  spring  of  the  succeeding  year, 
wlien  they  separate  and  shift  for  themselves. 

The  food  of  the  Squirrel  is  usually  of  a  vegetable  nature,  and  consists 
of  nuts,  acorns,  wheat,  and  other  fruits  and  seeds.  Being  a  hibernating 
animal,  the  Squirrel  is  in  the  habit  of  laying  up  a  winter  store  of 
provisions,  and  toward  the  end  of  autumn,  while  acorns  and  nuts  are 
in  their  prime,  becomes  very  busy  in  gathering  certain  little  treasures, 
which  it  hides  in  all  kinds  of  nooks,  crevices,  and  holes,  near  the  tree 
in  which  it  lodges.  The  creature  must  be  endowed  with  a  very  accu- 
rate memory,  for  it  always  remembers  the  spots  where  it  has  deposited 
its  store  of  food,  and  even  when  the  snow  lies  thickly  upon  the  earth, 
and  has  covered  the  ground  with  a  uniform  white  mantle,  the  Squirrel 
betrays  no  parplexity,  but  whenever  it  requires  nourishment  goes 
straight  to  the  hidden  storehouse,  scratches  away  the  snow,  and  dis- 
inters its  hidden  treasures. 

Sometimes  the  food  of  the  Squirrel  is  not  limited  to  vegetable 
substances,  as  the  animal  possesses  something  of  the  carnivorous  nature, 
and  has  been  often  found  guilty  of  killing  and  eating  sundry  animated 
things.  Young  birds,  eggs,  and  various  insects  are  eaten  by  the  Squirrel, 
who  has  been  detected  in  the  very  act  of  plundering  a  nest  and  carrying 
off  one  of  the  young  birds. 


192 


THE  CHIPPING  SQUIRKEL. 


The  usual  color  of  the  Squirrel's  fur  is  a  ruddy  brown  upon  the  back, 
and  a  grayish  white  on  the  hinder  portions  of  the  body.  It  is,  however, 
a  most  variable  animal  in  point  of  color,  the  tint  of  its  fur  changing 
according  to  the  country  which  it  inhabits.  Even  in  England  the 
ruddy  fur  is  sometimes  changed  to  gray  during  a  severe  winter,  and  in 
Siberia  it  is  generally  of  a  bluish  gray.  The  feathery  tufts  of  hair 
which  fringe  the  ears  are  liable  to  great  modification,  being  very  long 
and  full  in  winter  and  in  cold  climates,  and  almost  entirely  lost  during 
the  hotter  summer  months  of  our  own  country. 

There  are  so  many  species  of  the  Squirrel  tribe  that  even  a  cursory 
notice  of  each  animal  would  be  wholly  impracticable  in  a  work  of  the 
present  dimensions,  and  we  must  content  ourselves  with  a  brief  descrip- 
tion of  those  species  which  stand  out  more  boldly  from  the  rest  by 
reason  of  form,  color,  or  peculiar  habits. 

The  Hackee — or  Chipping  Squirrel,  as  it  is  sometimes  termed — 
is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  North  American  quadrupeds,  and  is 

found  in  great 
numbers  in  al- 
most   every   lo- 

P  I'^^^'^^^^^S^^^^BIMKIS*^^      /      "'I    ^''^'^^*      It    is   a 
k .^l'^^''  •  r^^^J^^^Bm^^^^ i^, .,  /  kIA,  'a  truly   beautiful 

little  creature, 
and  deserving  of 
notice  both  on 
account  of  the 
dainty  elegance 
//V  'f  its  form  and 
[/X  the  pleasing  tints 
with  which  its 
coat  is  decked. 
The  general  color 
of  the  Hackee  is 
a  brownish  gray 
on  the  ])ack, 
warming  into  orange-brown  on  the  forehead  and  the  hinder  quarters. 
Upon  the  back  and  sides  are  drawn  five  longitudinal  black  stripes 
and  two  streaks  of  yellowish  white,  so  that  it  is  a  most  conspicuous 
little  creature,  and  by  these  peculiar  stripes  may  easily  be  distin- 
guished from  any  other  animal.  The  abdomen  and  throat  are  white. 
It  is  slightly  variable  in  color  according  to  the  locality  in  which  it 
exists,  and  has  been  known  to  be  so  capricious  of  hue  as  to  furnish 
specimens  of  pure  white  and  jet  black.  As  a  fur  it  is  extremely  elegant, 
and  if  it  were  not  quite  so  common  would  long  since  have  taken  nearly 
as  hiojh  a  rank  as  the  sable  or  ermine. 


The  Ground  Squirrel  or  Hackee  {Tdmias  Lysteri). 


THE  PRAIRIE   DOG.  193 

The  length  of  the  Hackee  is  about  eleven  inches,  the  tail  being  about 
four  and  a  half  inches  long.  It  is,  however,  slightly  variable  in  dimen- 
sions as  well  as  in  color. 

The  Hackee  is  one  of  the  liveliest  and  briskest  of  quadrupeds,  and 
by  reason  of  its  quick  and  rapid  movements  has  been  not  inaptly  com- 
pared with  the  wren.  It  is  chiefly  seen  among  brushwood  and  small 
timber ;  and  as  it  whisks  about  the  branches  or  shoots  through  their 
interstices  with  its  peculiar  quick,  jerking  movements,  and  its  odd, 
quaint,  little  clucking  cry,  like  the  chip-chipping  of  newly-hatched 
chickens,  the  analogy  between  itself  and  the  bird  is  very  apparent. 
As  it  is  found  in  such  plenty,  and  is  a  bold  little  creature,  it  is  much 
persecuted  by  small  boys,  who,  although  they  are  not  big  or  wise 
enough  to  be  entrusted  with  guns  wherewith  to  work  the  destruction 
of  larger  game,  arm  themselves  with  long  sticks,  and  by  dexterous 
management  knock  down  many  a  Hackee  as  it  tries  to  escape  from  its 
pursuers  by  running  along  the  rail  fences.  Among  boys  the  popular 
name  of  the  Hackee  is  the  "  Chipmuck." 

It  is  a  burrowing  animal,  miking  its  little  tunnels  in  various  retired 
spots,  but  generally  preferring  an  old  tree,  or  the  earth  which  is  shel- 
tered by  a  wall,  a  fence,  or  a  bank.  The  burrows  are  rather  compli- 
cated, and,  as  they  run  to  some  length,  the  task  of  digging  the  animal 
out  of  its  retreat  is  no  easy  one. 

The  well-known  Prairie  Dog,  as  it  is  called,  is  not  a  dog  at  all,  but 
belongs  to  the  Marmots.  It  is  found  in  very  great  plenty  along  the 
coast  of  the  Missouri  and  its  tributaries,  and  also  near  the  river  Platte. 
It  congregates  together  in  vast  numbers  in  certain  spots  where  the  soil 
is  favorable  to  its  subterranean  habits  of  life,  and  the  vegetation  is  suf- 
ficiently luxuriant  to  afford  it  nourishment.  The  color  of  this  animal 
is  reddish  brown  upon  the  back,  mixed  with  gray  and  black  in  a  rather 
vague  manner.  The  abdomen  and  throat  are  grayish  white,  and  the 
short  tail  is  clothed  for  the  first  half  of  its  length  with  hair  of  the  same 
tint  as  that  of  the  body,  and  for  the  remaining  half  is  covered  with 
deep  blackish-brown  hair,  forming  a  kind  of  brush.  The  cheek- 
pouches  are  rather  small,  and  the  incisor  teeth  are  large  and  protrud- 
ing from  the  mouth.  The  length  of  the  animal  rather  exceeds  sixteen 
inches,  the  tail  being  a  little  more  than  three  inches  long.  The  cheek- 
pouches  are  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  depth,  and  are  half  that 
measurement  in  diameter. 

The  Prairie  Dog  is  a  burrowing  animal,  and,  as  it  is  very  gregarious 
in  its  habits,  the  spot  on  which  it  congregates  is  literally  honeycombed 
with  its  tunnsls.  There  is,  however,  a  kind  of  order  observed  in  the 
"dog  towns,"  as  these  warrens  are  popularly  called,  for  the  animals 
always  leave  certain  roads  or  streets  in  which  no  burrow  is  made.  The 
affairs  of  the  community  seem  to  be  regulated  by  a  single  leader,  called 

17  ivr 


194 


A   PRAIRIE  DOG   COMMUNITY. 


the  Big  Dog,  who  sits  before  the  entrance  of  his  burrow,  and  issues  his 
orders  from  thence  to  the  community.  In  front  of  every  burrow  a  small 
heap  of  mould  is  raised,  which  is  made  from  the  excavated  soil,  and 
which  is  generally  employed  as  a  seat  for  the  occupant  of  the  bur- 
row. 

As  long  as  no  danger  is  apprehended  the  little  animals  are  all  in 
lively  motion,  sitting  upon  their  mounds,  or  hurrying  from  one  tunnel 
to  another  as  eagerly  as  if  they  were  transacting  the  most  important 
business.  Suddenly  a  sharp  yelp  is  heard,  and  the  peaceful  scene  is  in 
a   moment  transformed  into  a  whirl  of  indistinguishable  confusion. 


The  Prairie  Dog  or  Wish-ton-wish  (Spermophilns  Ludovicidnus). 

Quick  barks  resound  on  every  side,  the  air  is  filled  with  a  dust-cloud, 
in  the  midst  of  which  is  indistinctly  seen  an  intermingled  mass  of  flour- 
ishing legs  and  whisking  tails,  and  in  a  moment  the  populous  "town" 
is  deserted.  Not  a  "  dog  "  is  visible,  and  the  whole  spot  is  apparently 
untenanted.  But  in  a  few  minutes  a  pair  of  dark  eyes  are  seen  gleam- 
ing at  the  entrance  of  some  burrow,  a  set  of  glistening  teeth  next  shine 
through  the  dusky  recess,  and  in  a  few  minutes  first  one  and  then  an- 
other Prairie  Dog  issues  from  his  retreat,  until  the  whole  community  is 
again  in  lively  action. 

The  title  of  Prairie  Dog  has  been  given  to  this  animal  on  account  of 
the  sharp  yelping  sounds  which  it  is  in  the  habit  of  uttering,  and  which 
have  some  resemblance  to  the  barking  of  a  very  small  and  very  peev- 
ish lap-dog.  Every  time  that  it  yelps  it  gives  its  tail  a  smart  jerk. 
This  peculiar  sound  is  evidently  employed  as  a  cry  of  alarm  ;  for  as 
soon  as  it  is  uttered  all  the  Prairie  Dogs  dive  into  their  burrows,  and 


THE  COMMON  MARMOT. 


195 


do  not  emerge  again  until  they  hear  the  shrill  whistle  which  tells  them 
that  the  danger  is  past. 

The  burrows  of  the  Prairie  Dogs  are  generally  made  at  an  angle  of 
forty  degrees,  and  after  being  sunk  for  some  little  distance  run  hor- 
izontally, or  even  rise  toward  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It  is  well 
known  that  these  burrows  are  not  only  inhabited  by  the  legitimate 
owners  and  excavators,  but  are  shared  by  the  burrowing  owl  and  the 
rattlesnake.  According  to  popular  belief,  the  three  creatures  live  very 
harmoniously  together;  but  careful  observations  have  shown  that  the 
snake  and  the  owl  are  interlopers,  living  in  the  burrows  because  the 
poor  owners  cannot  turn  them  out,  and  finding  an  easy  subsistence  on 
the  young  Prairie  Dogs.  A  rattlesnake  has  been  killed  near  a  bur- 
row, and  when  the  reptile  was  dissected  a  Prairie  Dog  was  found  in 
its  stomach. 

The  Common  Marmot  is  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  rabbit,  and 
not  very  unlike  that  animal  in  color.     The  general  tint  of  the  fur  is 


THfc  Marmot  (At  dnmys  Maimotta). 

grayish  yellow  upon  the  back  and  flanks,  deepening  into  black-gray  on 
the  top  of  the  head,  and  into  black  on  the  extremity  of  the  tail.  It  is 
very  common  in  all  the  mountainous  districts  of  Northern  Europe, 
where  it  associates  in  small  societies.  The  Marmot  is  an  expert  ex- 
cavator, and  digs  very  large  and  rather  complicated  burrows,  always 
appearing  to  reserve  one  chamber  as  a  storehouse  for  the  heap  of  dried 
grasses  and  other  similar  substances  which  it  amasses  for  the  purpose 
of  sustaining  life  during  the  winter.  The  chamber  in  which  the  animal 
lives  and  sleeps  is  considerably  larger  than  the  storehouse,  measuring, 
in  some  cases,  as  much  as  seven  feet  in  diameter.     The  tunnel  which 


196 


THE  MOLE  EAT. 


leads  to  these  chambers  is  only  just  large  enough  to  admit  the  body  of 
the  animal,  and  is  about  six  feet  in  length. 

To  these  burrows  the  Marmots  retire  about  the  middle  of  September, 
and  after  closing  the  entrance  with  grass  and  earth  enter  into  the  lethar- 
gic hibernating  state,  and  do  not  emerge  until  the  beginning  of  April. 
Like  other  hibernating  animals,  they  are  very  fat  just  before  they  take 
up  their  winter  quarters,  and,  as  their  fur  is  then  in  the  best  condition, 
they  are  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  human  inhabitants  of  the  same 
country.  The  burrow  of  the  Marmot  is  always  dug  in  dry  soil,  and  is 
seldom  known  to  be  at  all  above,  or  very  much  below,  the  line  of  per- 
petual snow. 

At  the  end  of  the  rodents  are  placed  the  singular  animals  which 
are  grouped  together  under  the  title  of  Aspalacidse,  or  Mole  Rats, 
the  word  Aspalax,  or  Spalax,  being  the  Greek  term  for  a  mole. 
The  incisor  teeth  of  these  animals  are  extremely  large,  and  project 
beyond  the  lips.  The  external  ears  are  either  wholly  wanting  or  are 
of  very  small  dimensions.  The  eyes  are  small,  and  in  some  species 
are  concealed  by  the  skin.  The  body  is  heavily  and  clumsily  made, 
the  tail  is  either  very  short  or  entirely  absent,  and  the  head  is  large 
and  rounded. 

The  common  Mole  Eat,  which  is  also  known  by  its  Kussian  name  of 
Slepez,  is  a  native  of  Southern  Russia,  Asia  Minor,  Mesopotamia,  and 
Syria.  Like  the  ordinary  mole,  to  which  it  bears  no  little  external  re- 
semblance, it  passes  its  existence  in  the  subterranean  tunnels  which  it 
excavates  by  means  of  its  powerful  claws.  As  it  but  seldom  ventures 
into  the  light  of  day,  it  stands  in  no  need  of  visual  organs,  but  is  com- 

^ —     ...^.-^^^-..-^^^^.^^    :^  .,-    pensated  for  their  absence 

by  the  very  large  develop- 
ment of  the  organs  of 
hearing.  The  place  of 
the  eyes  is  taken  by  two 
little  round  black  specks, 
which  lie  under  the  fur- 
covered  skin,  so  that  even 
if  they  were  sensitive  to 
light,  they  would  be  un- 
able to  perceive  the 

T^TTT,  ■»T^     T»       /oi      ^t,    X  bris^htestraysof  the 

The  Mole  Eat  (Spahx  Typhlus).  ^,.  .  ^r^^ 

•^^      ^  noontide  sun.      Ihe  ears, 

however,  are  extremely  large,  and  the  hearing  is  exceedingly  sensitive, 

so  that  the  animal  receives  earlier  information  of  danger  through  its 

sense  of  hearing  than  through  that  of  sight,  which  latter  faculty  would 

indeed  be  useless  in  its  dark  abode.     Sometimes  the  Slepez  leaves  the 

burrow  and  lies  basking  in  the  warm  sunshine,  but  upon  the  least  alarm 


THE  COAST  RAT  AND  THE  BAY  BAMBOO  RAT.  197 

or  unexpected  sound  it  plunges  into  its  tunnel,  and  will  not  again  make 
its  appearance  until  it  feels  perfectly  assured  of  safety. 

The  general  color  of  the  Slepez  is  a  very  light  brown,  slightly  tinged 
with  red  in  some  parts,  and  fading  into  an  ashen  gray  in  others.  Its 
total  length  is  about  ten  or  eleven  inches,  and  the  tail  is  wanting. 
The  head  is  broad,  flat  on  the  cro\vn,  and  terminates  abruptly  at  the 
muzzle.     The  feet  are  short,  and  the  claws  small. 

The  incisor  teeth  of  the  Coast  Rat  or  Sand  Mole  are  even  larger 
in  proportion  than  those  of  the  preceding  animal,  and  those  of  the  up- 
per jaw  are  marked  by  a  groove  running  throughout  their  length.  The 
fore-feet  are  furnished  with  long  and  powerful  claws,  that  of  the  second 
toe  being  the  largest.  The  eyes  are  exceedingly  small,  the  external 
ears  are  wanting,  and   the  tail  is  extremely  short. 

The  Coast  Rat  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  the 
coasts  of  Southern  Africa,  where  it  is  found  in  tolerable  profusion,  and 
drives  such  multitudes  of  shallow  tunnels  that  the  ground  which  it  fre- 
quents is  rather  dangerous  for  horsemen,  and  not  at  all  pleasant  even  to 
a  man  on  foot.  The  burrows  are  made  at  so  short  a  distance  from  the 
surface  that  the  earth  gives  way  under  the  tread  of  any  moderately 
heavy  animal.  Mr.  Burchell,  the  well-known  African  traveller,  nar- 
rates that  in  traversing  the  great  sand  flats  of  Southern  Africa  he  was 
often  endangered  by  his  feet  sinking  into  the  burrows  of  the  Coast  Rat, 
which  had  undermined  the  light  soil  in  every  direction.  The  animal 
is  rather  slow  of  foot  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  but  drives  its 
subterranean  tunnels  with  marvellous  rapidity,  throwing  up  little  sandy 
hillocks  at  intervals,  like  those  of  the  common  mole.  On  account  of 
this  propensity  it  has  received  the  name  of  Zand  Mall,  or  Sand  Mole, 
from  the  Dutch  boers  who  inhabit  the  Cape. 

The  color  of  the  Sand  Mole  is  a  uniformly  light  grayish  brown, 
rather  variable  in  tinting.  As  it  is  very  soft  and  full  in  texture,  and 
can  be  obtained  in  great  quantities,  it  might  be  profitably  made  a  reg- 
ular article  of  trade.  The  Sand  Mole  is  as  large  as  our  ordinary  wild 
rabbit,  being  about  fifteen  inches  in  total  length,  the  tail  measuring 
about  three  inches. 

The  Bay  Bamboo  Rat  is  one  representative  of  the  genus  Rhizorays, 
of  which  there  are  several  species. 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  Nepal,  Malacca,  and  China,  and  is  very 
injurious  to  the  bamboos,  on  the  roots  of  which  it  feeds.  In  size  it 
equals  a  rather  small  rabbit,  and  in  color  it  is  of  a  uniform  ruddy 
brown,  slightly  paler  on  the  throat  and  abdomen.  The  long  incisor 
teeth  are  faced  with  bright  red  enamel,  which  gives  them  a  rather  con- 
spicuous appearance ;  the  tail  is  short  and  marked,  and  the  claws  are 
rather  small.     The  head  is  of  a  peculiar  form. 

17* 


198  THE  DOMESTIC  OX. 


OXEN. 

In  the  large  and  important  group  of  animals  which  now  occupy  our 
attention,  the  incisor  teeth  are  entirely  absent  in  the  upper  jaw,  and 
are  eight  in  number  in  the  lower.  There  are  six  molars  on  each  side 
of  each  jaw.  The  two  middle  toes  of  each  foot  are  separate,  and  are 
furnished  with  hoofs  instead  of  claws.  From  the  frontal  bones  proceed 
two  excrescences,  which  are  generally  armed  with  horns,  particularly 
in  the  male  animal.  The  structure  of  the  stomach  and  gullet  is  very 
remarkable,  and  is  employed  in  producing  that  peculiar  action  which 
is  called  "  ruminating,"  or  chewing  the  cud. 

The  Domestic  Ox  of  Europe  has  been  so  modified  in  form,  habits, 
and  dimensions  by  its  long  intercourse  with  mankind  that  it  has  de- 


The  Ox  (Bos). 

veloped  into  as  many  permanent  varieties  as  the  dog,  the  pigeon,  or 
the  rabbit,  and  would  in  many  cases  be  thought  to  belong  to  different 
species.  Among  the  principal  varieties  of  this  animal  may  be  noticed 
the  Long-horned,  the  Short-horned,  and  the  Polled  or  hornless  breeds, 
and  the  Alderuey  cow,  so  celebrated  for  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
the  milk  which  it  daily  furnishes.  In  almost  every  part  of  the  world 
are  found  examples  of  the  Ox,  variously  modified  in  order  to  suit  the 
peculiar  circumstances  amid  which  they  are  placed,  but  in  all  instances 
they  are  susceptible  of  domestication,  and  are  employed  in  the  service 
of  mankind. 

There  are  few  animals  which  are  more  thoroughly  useful  to  man  than 
the  Ox,  or  whose  loss  we  should  feel  more  deeply  in  the  privation  of 
so  many  comforts.     Putting  aside  the  two  obvious  benefits  of  its  flesh 


ITS  USE  IN  THE  MANUFACTURES.  199 

and  its  milk — both  of  which  are  so  needful  for  our  comfort  that  we 
almost  forget  to  think  about  them  at  all — we  derive  very  great  benefit 
from  its  powers  while  living,  and  from  many  portions  of  its  body  when 
dead. 

In  many  parts  of  England,  Oxen  are  still  employed  in  agricultural 
labor,  drawing  the  plough  or  wagon  with  a  slow  but  steady  ploughing 
gait.  The  carpenter  would  find  himself  sadly  at  a  loss  were  his  supply 
of  glue  to  be  suddenly  checked  by  the  disappearance  of  the  animal, 
from  whose  hoofs,  ears,  and  hide-parings  the  greater  part  of  that  use- 
ful material  is  manufactured.  The  harness-maker,  carriage-builder, 
and  shoemaker  would  in  that  case  be  deprived  of  a  most  valuable  ar- 
ticle in  their  trade ;  the  cutler  and  ivory-turner  would  lose  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  rough  material  upon  which  they  work  ;  the  builder 
would  find  his  best  plaster  sadly  impaired  without  a  proper  admixture 
of  cow's  hair;  and  the  practical  chemist  would  be  greatly  at  a  loss  for 
some  of  his  most  valuable  pro- 
ductions if  the  entire  Ox  tribe 
were  swept  from  the  earth. 
Not  even  the  very  intestines 
are  allowed  to  be  wasted,  but 
are  employed  for  a  variety  of 
purposes  and  in  a  variety  of 
trades.  Sometimes  the  bones 
are  subjected  to  a  process  f 
which  extracts  every  nutri-  ^■ 
tious  particle  out  of  them,  and  ^- 
even  in  that  case  the  remain- 
ing innutritious  portions  of  ^^  ^^^' 
the  bones  are  made  useful  by  being  calcined,  and  manufactured  into 
the  animal  charcoal  which  has  lately  been  so  largely  employed  in  many 
of  the  arts  and  sciences. 

The  Domestic  Cow  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  detailed  description 
of  form  and  color.  Few  persons,  however,  except  those  who  have  been 
personally  conversant  with  this  animal,  have  any  idea  of  its  intelligent 
and  affectionate  nature. 

As  the  Oxen,  in  common  with  the  sheep,  camel,  giraffe,  and  deer,  re- 
quire a  large  amount  of  vegetable  food,  and  are,  while  in  their  native 
regions,  subject  to  innumerable  disturbing  causes  that  would  effectually 
prevent  them  from  satisfying  their  hunger  in  an  ordinary  manner,  they 
are  furnished  with  a  peculiar  arrangement  of  the  stomach  and  digestive 
organs,  by  means  of  which  they  are  enabled  to  gather  hastily  a  large 
amount  of  food  in  any  spot  where  the  vegetation  is  luxuriant,  and  to 
postpone  the  business  of  mastication  and  digestion  to  a  time  when  they 
may  be  less  likely  to  be  disturbed.     The  peculiarity  of  structure  lies 


200 


THE  ZEBU. 


chiefly  in  the  stomach  and  gullet,  which  are  formed  so  as  to  act  as  an 
internal  food-pouch,  analogous  in  its  use  to  the  cheek-pouches  of  certain 
monkeys  and  rodents,  together  with  an  arrangement  for  regurgitating 
the  food  into  the  mouth  at  the  will  of  the  animal,  previous  to  its  masti- 
cation and  digestion. 

The  domestic  cattle  of  India  are  commonly  known  by  the  name  of 
Zkbu,  and  are  conspicuous  for  the  curious  fatty  hump  which  projects 
from  the  withers.  These  animals  are  further  remarkable  for  the 
heavy  dewlap  which  falls  in  thick  folds  from  the  throat,  and  which 
gives  to  the  forepart  of  the  animal  a  very  characteristic  aspect.  The 
limbs  are  slender,  and  the  back,  after  rising  toward  the  haunches, 
falls  suddenly  at  the  tail. 

The  Zebu  is  a  quiet  and-  intelligent  animal,  and  is  capable  of  being 
trained  in  various   modes  for  the  service  of  mankind.     It  is  a  good 

draught  animal,  and  is 
harnessed  either  to  car- 
riages or  to  ploughs, 
which  it  can  draw  with 
great  steadiness,  though 
with  but  little  speed. 
Sometimes  it  is  used  for 
riding,  and  is  possessed 
of  considerable  en- 
dunince,  being  capable 
of  carrying  a  rider  for 
fifteen  hours  a  day,  at 
an  average  rate  of  five 
or  six  miles  per  hour. 

The  Zebu  race  has  a 
very  wide  range  of  lo- 
cality, being  found  in  India,  China,  Madagascar,  and  the  eastern 
coasr  of  Africa.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  its  native  land  is 
India,  and  that  it  must  have  been  imported  from  thence  into  other 
countries. 

There  are  various  breeds  of  Zebu,  some  being  about  the  size  of  our 
orainary  cattle,  and  others  varying  in  dimensions  from  a  large  Ox  to  a 
small  Newfoundland  dog.  One  of  the  most  familiar  of  these  varieties 
is  the  well-known  Brahmin  Bull,  so  called  because  it  is  considered  to 
ht-  sacred  to  Bramah. 

The  more  religious  among  the  Hindoos— scrupulously  observant  of 
the  letter  of  a  law  which  was  intended  to  be  universal  in  its  applica- 
tion, but  to  which  they  give  only  a  partial  interpretation — indulge  this 
itinmal  in  the  most  absurd  manner.  They  place  the  sacred  mark  of 
» iiva  on  its  body,  and  permit  it  to  wander  about  at  its  own  sweet  will, 


The  Zebu  {Bos  Indicus). 


THE  BUFFALO.  .  201 

pampered  by  every  luxury,  aud  never  opposed  in  any  wish  or  caprice 
which  it  may  form.  A  Brahmin  Bull  will  walk  along  the  street  with 
a  quaintly  dignified  air,  inspect  anything  and  anybody  that  may  excite 
his  curiosity,  force  any  one  to  make  way  for  himself,  and  if  he  should 
happen  to  take  a  fancy  to  the  contents  of  a  fruiterer's  or  greengrocer's 
shop  will  deliberately  make  his  choice  and  satisfy  his  wishes,  none  dar- 
ing to  cross  him.  The  indulgence  which  is  extended  to  this  animal  is 
carried  to  so  great  a  height  that  if  a  Brahmin  Bull  chooses  to  lie  down 
in  a  narrow  lane,  no  one  can  pass  until  he  gets  up  of  his  own  accord. 

The  Buffalo  is  spread  over  a  wide  range  of  country,  being  found  in 
Southern  Europe,  North  Africa,  India,  and  a  few  other  localities. 


The  Buffalo  {Bubalus  bufelua). 

This  animal  is  subject  to  considerable  modifications  in  external 
aspect,  according  to  the  climate  or  the  particular  locality  in  which  it 
resides,  and  has  in  consequence  been  mentioned  under  very  different 
names.  In  all  cases  the  wild  animals  are  larger  and  more  powerful 
than  their  domesticated  relations,  and  in  many  instances  the  slightly 
different  ^hape  and  greater  or  lesser  length  of  the  horns,  or  the  skin 
denuded  of  hairs,  have  been  considered  as  sufficient  evidence  of  separate 
species. 

In  India  the  long,  smooth-horned  variety  chiefly  prevails,  and  is 
found  in  tolerable  profusion.  This  animal  frequents  wet  and  marshy 
localities,  being  sometimes  called  the  Water  Buffalo  on  account  of  its 
aquatic  predilections.  It  is  a  most  fierce  and  dangerous  animal,  savage 
to  a  marvellous  degree,  and  not  hesitating  to  charge  any  animal  that 
may  arouse  its  ready  ire.  An  angry  Bufl^alo  has  been  known  to  attack 
a  tolerably-sized  elephant,  and  by  a  vigorous  charge  in  the  ribs  to  pros- 
trate its  huge  foe.  Even  the  tiger  is  found  to  quail  before  the  BuflTalo, 
and  displays  the  greatest  uneasiness  in  its  presence. 


202 


THE  AKNEE  AND  THE  CAPE  BUFFALO. 


The  Arnee  lives  in  large  herds,  arranged  after  the  manner  of  all 
bovine  animals,  the  females  and  young  being  always  placed  in  the  safest 
spots,  while  the  males  post  themselves  in  all  positions  of  danger.  These 
herds  are  never  seen  on  elevated  ground,  preferring  the  low  marshy  dis- 
tricts where  water  and  mud  are  abundant.  In  this  mud  they  love  to 
wallow,  and  when  suddenly  roused  from  their  strange  pastime  present 
a  most  terrible  appearance,  their  eyes  glaring  fiercely  from  amid  the 
mud-covered,  dripping  masses  of  hair.  Sometimes  the  Buffalo  is  said 
to  fall  a  victim  to  its  propensity  for  wallowing  in  the  mud,  and  to  be 
stuck  so  firmly  in  the  oozy  slime,  as  it  dries  under  the  scorching  sun- 
beams of  that  burning  climate,  that  it  can  be  killed  without  danger.  It 
generally  chews  the  cud  while  it  is  lying  immersed  in  mud  or  water. 

The  Cape  Buffalo  is  quite  as  formidable  an  animal  as  its  Indian 
relative,  and    much    more    terrible  in   outward    aspect.      The    heavy 


The  Cape  Buffalo  {Buhalus  Caffer). 

bases  of  the  horns,  that  nearly  unite  over  the  forehead,  and  under 
which  the  little  fierce  eyes  twinkle  with  sullen  rays,  give  to  the  crea- 
ture's countenance  an  appearance  of  morose,  lowering  ill-temper  which 
is  in  perfect  accordance  with  its  real  character. 

Owing  to  the  enormous  heavy  mass  which  is  situated  on  the  forehead, 
the  Cape  Buffalo  does  not  see  very  well  in  a  straight  line,  so  that  a 
man  may  sometimes  cross  the  track  of  one  within  a  hundred  yards, 
and  not  be  seen  by  the  animal,  provided  that  he  walks  quietly  and 
does  not  attract  attention  by  the  sound  of  his  footsteps.  This  animal 
is  ever  a  dangerous  neighbor,  but  when  it  leads  a  solitary  life  among 
the  thickets  and  marshy  places,  it  is  a  worse  antagonist  to  a  casual 
passenger  than  even  the  lion  himself.     In  such  a  case,  it  has  an  unpleas- 


THE  BISON.  203 

ant  habit  of  remainiug  quietly  in  its  lair  until  the  unsuspecting  traveller 
passes  closely  to  its  place  of  concealment,  and  then  leaping  suddenly 
upon  him  like  some  terrible  monster  of  the  waters,  dripping  with  mud 
and  filled  with  rage. 

Many  such  tragical  incidents  have  occurred — chiefly,  it  must  be 
acknowledged,  owing  to  the  imprudence  of  the  sufferer — and  there 
are  few  coverts  in  Southern  Africa  whi(;h  are  not  celebrated  for  some 
aflTair  of  this  kind.  Sometimes  the  animal  is  so  recklessly  furious  in 
its  unreasoning  anger  that  it  absolutely  blinds  itself  by  its  heedless 
rush  through  the  formidable  thorn-bushes  which  are  so  common  in 
Southern  Africa.  Even  when  in  company  with  others  of  their  own 
species,  they  are  liable  to  sudden  bursts  of  emotion,  and  will  rush 
blindly  on,  heedless  of  everything  but  the  impulse  that  drives  them 
forward.  In  one  instance,  the  leader  of  the  herd,  being  wounded, 
dropped  on  his  knees,  and  was  instantly  crushed  by  the  tranjpling 
hoofs  of  his  comrades  as  they  rushed  over  the  prostrate  body  of  their 
chief. 

The  Gape  Buffalo,  although  so  terrible  an  animal,  is  not  so  large  as 
the  arnee,  being  little  larger  than  an  ordinary  ox,  but  possessed  of 
much  greater  strength.  The  strangely-shaped  horns  are  black  in  color, 
and  so  large  that  the  distance  between  their  points  is  not  unfrequeutly 
from  four  to  five  feet.  On  account  of  their  great  width  at  their  bases, 
they  form  a  kind  of  bony  helmet,  which  is  impenetrable  to  an  ordinary 
rausket-ball,  and  effectually  defend  their  owner  against  the  severe 
shocks  which  are  frequently  suffered  by  these  testy  animals. 

The  Bison  is  found  only  in  Northern  America,  never  appearing 
north  of  lat.  33°.  It  gathers  together  in  enormous  herds,  consisting  of 
many  thousand  in  number,  and,  in  spite  of  the  continual  persecution 
to  which  it  is  subjected  by  man  and  beast,  its  multitudes  are  even  now 
hardly  diminished.  The  Bison  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  animals 
to  the  white  hunter  as  well  as  to  the  aboriginal  Red  Indian,  as  its  body 
supplies  him  with  almost  every  necessary  of  life. 

The  flesh  of  the  fat  cow  Bison  is  in  great  repute,  being  juicy,  tender, 
and  well  savored,  and  possesses  the  invaluable  quality  of  not  cloying 
the  appetite,  even  though  it  be  eaten  with  the  fierce  hunger  that  is 
generated  by  a  day's  hunting.  The  fat  is  peculiarly  excellent,  and  is 
said  to  bear  some  resemblance  to  the  celebrated  green  fat  of  the  turtle. 
The  most  delicate  portion  of  the  Bison  is  the  flesh  that  composes  the 
"  hump  "  which  gives  to  the  animal's  back  so  strange  an  aspect ;  and 
the  hunters  are  so  fond  of  this  delicacy  that  they  will  often  slay  a  mag- 
nificent Bison  merely  for  the  sake  of  the  hump,  the  tongue,  and  the 
marrow-bones,  leaving  the  remainder  of  the  body  to  the  wolves  and 
birds. 

The  hide  is  greatly  valued,  both  by  Indians  and  civilized  men,  for 


204 


THE  BISON. 


the  maDy  purposes  which  it  fulfils.  From  this  hide  the  Indian  makes 
his  teuts,  many  parts  of  his  dress,  his  bed,  and  his  shield.  For  nearly 
the  whole  of  these  uses  the  skin  is  deprived  of  hair,  and  is  so  dressed 
as  to  be  impervious  to  water,  and  yet  soft  and  pliable.  The  shield  is 
very  ingeniously  made  by  pegging  out  the  hide  upon  the  ground  with 


The  Bison  [Bison  Americanus). 

a  multitude  of  little  wooden  skewers  round  its  edge,  imbuing  it  with 
a  kind  of  glue,  and  gradually  removing  the  pegs  in  proportion  to  the 
consequent  shrinking  and  thickening  of  the  skin.  One  of  these  shields, 
although  still  pliable,  is  sufficiently  strong  to  resist  an  arrow,  and  will 
often  turn  a  bullet  that  does  not  strike  it  fairly. 

Vast  quantities  of  Bisons  are  killed  annually,  whole  herds  being  some- 
times destroyed  by  the  cunning  of  their  human  foes.  The  hunters,  hav- 
ing discovered  a  herd  of  Bisons  at  no  very  great  distance  from  one  of 
the  precipices  which  abound  in  the  prairie-lands,  quietly  surround  the 
doomed  animals,  and  drive  them  ever  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  preci- 
pice. When  they  have  come  within  half  a  mile  or  so  of  the  edge, 
they  suddenly  dash  toward  the  Bisons,  shouting,  firing,  waving  hats  in 
the  air,  and  using  every  means  to  terrify  the  intended  victims.  The 
Bisons  are  timid  creatures,  and  easily  take  alarm,  so  that  on  being 
startled  by  the  unexpected  sights  and  sounds  they  dash  off,  panic-struck, 


THE  BISON. 


205 


in  the  only  direction  left  open  to  them,  and  which  leads  directly  ro  the 
precipice.  When  the  leaders  arrive  at  the  edge  they  attempt  to  recoil, 
but  they  are  so  closely  pressed  upon  by  those  behind  them  that  they 
are  carried  forward  and  forced  into  the  gulf  below.  Many  hundreds 
of  Bisons  are  thus  destroyed  in  the  space  of  a  few  minutes. 

The  Bison  is  remarkably  fond  of  wallowing  in  the  mud,  and  when 
he  cannot  find  a  mud-hole  ready  excavated  sets  busily  to  work  to  make 
one  for  himself  Choosing  some  wet  and  marshy  spot,  he  flings  him- 
self down  on  his  side,  and  whirls  round  and  round  until  he  wears 
away  the  soil  and  forms  a  circular  and  rather  shallow  pit,  into  which 
the  water  rapidly  drains  from  the  surrounding  earth.  He  now  redoubles 
his  efforts,  and  in  a  very  short  time  succeeds  in  covering  himself  with 
a  thick  coating  of  mud,  which  is  probably  of  very  great  service  in  de- 
fending him  from  the  stings  of  the  gnats  and  other  noxious  insects  which 
swarm  in  such  localities. 

The  Bison  is  a  marvellously  active  animal,  and  displays  powers  of  run- 
ning and  activity  which  would  hardly  be  anticipated  by  one  who  had 


The  Yak  {Poephagus  grunniens). 

seen  merely  a  stuffed  specimen.     The  body  is  so  loaded  with  hair  that 
it  appears  to  be  of  greater  dimensions  than  is  really  the  case,  and  seems 

18 


206 


THE  YAK   AND  THE  MUSK  OX. 


out  of  all  proportion  to  the  slender  legs  that  appear  from  under  it  and 
seem  to  bend  beneath  its  weight.  Yet  the  Bison  is  an  enduring  as  well 
as  a  swift  animal,  and  is  also  remarkably  sure  of  foot,  going  at  full 
speed  over  localities  where  a  horse  would  soon  be  brought  to  a 
halt. 

The  Yak,  or  Grunting  Ox,  derives  its  name  from  its  very  peculiar 
voice,  which  sounds  much  like  the  grunt  of  a  pig.  It  is  a  native  of 
the  mountains  of  Thibet,  and,  according  to  Hodson,  it  inhabits  all 
the  loftiest  plateaus  of  High  Asia,  between  the  Altai  and  the  Him- 
alayas. 

The  heavy  fringes  of  hair  that  decorate  the  sides  of  the  Yak  do  not 
make  their  appearance  until  the  animal  has  attained  three  months  in 
age,  the  calves  being  covered  with  rough  curling  hair  not  unlike  that 
of  a  black  Newfoundland  dog.  The  beautiful  white  bushy  tail  of  the 
Yak  is  in  great  request  for  various  ornamental  purposes,  and  forms 
quite  an  important  article  of  commerce.  Dyed  red,  it  is  formed  into 
those  curious  tufts  that  decorate  the  caps  of  the  Chinese,  and  when 
properly  mounted  in  a  silver  handle,  it  is  used  as  a  fly-flapper  in  India 
under  the  name  of  "  chowrie."  These  tails  are  carried  before  certain 
officers  of  state,  their  number  indicating  the  rank. 

The  curiously-shaped  horns  of  the  Musk  Ox,  its  long  woolly  hair 
falling  almost  to  the  ground  in  every  direction,  so  as  nearly  to  conceal 

its  legs,  together  with  the 
peculiar  form  of  the  head 
and  snout,  are  unfailing 
characteristics  whereby  it 
can  be  discriminated  from 
any  other  animal.  The 
horns  of  the  Musk  Ox  are 
extremely  large  at  their 
J  base,  and  form  a  kind  of 
,,|^  helmet  upon  the  summit  of 
the  forehead.  They  then 
sweep  boldly  downward,  and 
are  again  hooked  upward 
toward  the  tips.  This  cu- 
rious form  of  the  horns  is 
noticed  only  in  the  male,  as 
the  horns  of  the  female  are  set  very  widely  apart  from  the  sides  of  the 
forehead,  and  are  simply  curved.  The  muzzle  is  covered  with  hair, 
with  the  exception  of  a  very  slight  line  around  the  nostrils. 

This  animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  extreme  north  of  America,  being 
seldom  seen  south  of  the  sixty-first  degree  of  latitude,  and  ascending 
as  high  as  the  seventy-fifth.     It  lives,  in  fact,  in  the  same  country  which 


T^ 


The  Musk  Ox  (Oribos  moschatvs). 


THE  GAZELLE. 


207 


IS  inhabited  by  the  Esquimaux,  and  is  known  to  them  under  the  name 
of  Oomiugnoak.  It  is  a  fleet  and  active  animal,  and  traverses  with 
such  ease  the  rocky  and  precipitous  ground  on  which  it  loves  to  dwell 
that  it  cannot  be  overtaken  by  any  pursuer  less  swift  than  an  arrow  or 
a  bullet.  It  is  a  rather  irritable  animal,  and  becomes  a  dangerous  foe 
to  the  hunters  by  its  habit  of  charging  upon  them  while  they  are  per- 
plexed amid  the  cliffs  and  crevices  of  its  rocky  home,  thus  often  escap- 
ing unharmed  by  the  aid  of  its  quick  eye  and  agile  limbs.  The  flesh 
of  this  animal  is  very  strongly  perfumed  with  a  musky  odor,  very  va- 
riable in  its  amount  and  strength.  Excepting,  however,  a  few  weeks 
in  the  year,  it  is  perfectly  fit  for  food,  and  is  fat  and  well  flavored. 

The  Musk  Ox  is  a  little  animal,  but,  owing  to  the  huge  mass  of 
woolly  hair  with  which  it  is  thickly  covered,  appears  to  be  of  consider- 
able dimensions.  The  color  of  this  animal  is  a  yellowish  brown,  deep- 
ening upon  the  sides. 


ANTELOPES. 

The  Antelopes  form  a  large  and  important  group  of  animals,  find- 
ing representatives  in  many  portions  of  the  globe.  Resembling  the 
deer  in  many  respects,  they  are  easily  to  be  distinguished  from  those 
animals  by  the  character  of  the  horns,  which 
are  hollow  at  the  base,  set  upon  a  solid  core 
like  those  of  the  oxen,  and  are  permanently 
retained  throughout  the  life  of  the  animal. 
Indeed,  the  Antelopes  are  allied  very  closely 
to  the  slieep  and  goats,  and  in  some  instances 
are  very  goat-like  in  external  form.  In  all 
cases  the  Antelopes  are  light  and  elegant  of 
body,  their  limbs  are  gracefully  slender,  and 
are  furnished  with  small  cloven  hoofs.  The 
tail  is  never  of  any  great  length,  and  in  many 
species  is  very  short.  The  horns,  set  above 
the  eyebrows,  are  either  simply  conical  or  are 
bent  so  as  to  resemble  the  two  horns  of  the 
ancient  lyre,  and  are  therefore  termed  "  ly- 
rate"  in  technical  language. 

The  well-known  Gazelle  is  found  in  great  numbers  in  Northern 
Africa,  where  it  lives  in  herds  of  considerable  size,  and  is  largely  hunt- 
ed by  man  and  beast. 

Trusting  to  its  swift  limbs  for  its  safety,  the  Gazelle  will  seldom,  if 
ever,  attempt  to  resist  a  foe,  unless  it  be  actually  driven  to  bay  in  some 
spot  from  whence  it  cannot  escape,  but  prefers  to  flee  across  the  ^andy 
plains,  in  which  it  loves  to  dwell,  with  the  marvellous  speed  for  which 


The  Antelope. 


208 


THE  SPKING-BOK. 


it  has  long  been  proverbial.  The  herd  seems  to  be  actuated  by  a  strong 
spirit  of  mutual  attachment,  which  preserves  its  members  froni  being 
isolated  from  their  companions,  and  which,  in  many  instances,  is  their 
only  safeguard  against  the  attacks  of  the  smaller  predaceous  animals. 
The  lion  and  the  leopard  can  always  find  a  meal  whenever  they  can 
steal  upon  a  band  of  Gazelles  without  being  discovered  by  the  sentries 
which  watch  the  neighborliood  with  jealous  precaution  ;  for  the  Gazelles 
are  too  weak  to  withstand  the  attack  of  such  terrible  assailants,  and 
do  not  even  attempt  resistance. 

The  eye  of  the  Gazelle  is  large,  soft,  and  lustrous,  and  has  long  been 
celebrated  by  the  poets  of  its  own  land  as  the  most  flattering  simile  of 

a  woman's  eye.  The 
color  of  this  pretty 
little  animal  is  a 
light  fawn  upon  the 
back,  deepening  into 
dark  brown  in  a  wide 
band  which  edges  the 
flanks,  and  forms  a 
line  of  demarcation 
between  tiie  yellow- 
brown  of  the  upper 
portions  of  the  body 
and  the  pure  white  of 
the  abdomen.  The 
face  is  rather  curi- 
ously marked  with 
two  stripes  of  con- 
trasting colors,  one  a  dark  black-brown  line  that  passes  from  the  eye  to 
the  curves  of  the  mouth,  and  the  other  a  white  streak  that  begins  at  the 
horns  and  extends  as  far  as  the  muzzle.  The  hinder  quarters,  too,  are 
marked  with  white,  which  is  very  perceptible  when  tiie  animal  is  walk- 
ing directly  from  the  spectator. 

The  Spring-bok  derives  its  very  appropriate  title  from  the  extra- 
ordinary leaps  which  it  is  in  the  constant  habit  of  making  whenever  it. 
is  alarmed. 

As  soon  as  it  is  frightened  at  any  real  or  fancied  danger,  or  whenever 
it  desires  to  accelerate  its  pace  suddenly,  it  leaps  high  into  the  air 
with  a  curiously  easy  movement,  rising  to  a  height  of  seven  or  eight 
feet  without  any  diflficulty,  and  being  capable  on  occasions  of  reaching 
the  height  of  twelve  or  thirteen  feet.  When  leaping,  the  back  is  great- 
ly curved,  and  the  creature  presents  a  very  curious  aspect,  owing  to  the 
sudden  exhibition  of  the  long  white  hairs  that  cover  the  croup,  and  are 
nearly  hidden  by  the  folds  of  skin  when  the  creature  is  at  rest,  but 


The  Gazelle  (Gazella  Dorcas). 


THE  GEMS-BOK. 


209 


which  come  boldl}'^  into  view  as  soon  as  the  protecting  skin-fold  is 
obliterated  by  the  tension  of  the  muscles  that  serve  to  propel  the  an- 
imal in  its  aerial  course. 

The  Spriug-bok  is  a  marvellously  timid  animal,  and  will  never  cross 
a  road  if  it  can  avoid  the  necessity.  When  it  is  forced  to  do  so,  it 
often  compromises  the  dif- 
ficulty by  leaping  over 
the  spot  which  has  been 
tainted  by  the  foot  of 
man.  The  color  of  the 
Spring-bok  is  very  pleas- 
ing, the  ground  tinting 
being  a  warm  cinnamon- 
brown  upon  the  upper 
surface  of  the  body  and  ^^ 
pure  white  upon  the  ab- 
domen, the  two  colors  be- 
ing separated  from  each 
other  by  a  broad  band  of 
reddish  brown.     The  fl^sh         ^""^  Spring-'bok  {Antidorcas  Euchore). 

of  the  Spring-bok  is  held  in  some  estimation,  and  the  hide  is  in  great 
request  for  many  useful  purposes. 

Inhabiting  the  vast  plains  of  Southern  Africa,  the  Spring-bok  is 
accustomed  to  make  pilgrimages  from  one  spot  to  another,  vast  herds 
being  led  by  their  chiefs,  and  ravaging  the  country  over  which  they 
pass  as  if  they  were  locusts. 

The  Gems-bok,  or  Kookaam,  is  a  large  and  powerful  member  of  the 
Antelope  tribe,  equalling  the  domestic  ass  in  size,  and  measuring  about 
three  feet  ten  inches  at  the  shoulder.  The  manner  in  which  the  hide 
is  decorated  with  boldly- contrasted  tints  gives  it  a  very  peculiar  aspect. 
The  general  hue  is  gray,  but  along  the  back,  upon  the  hinder  quarters, 
and  along  the  flanks,  the  color  is  deep  black.  A  black  streak  also 
crosses  the  face,  and,  passing  under  the  chin,  gives  it  the  appearance 
of  wearing  harness.  It  has  a  short,  erect  mane  and  long  sweeping 
black  tail,  and  its  heavy  horns  are  nearly  straight  from  base  to  tip. 

The  long  and  sharply-pointed  horns  with  which  its  head  is  armed 
are  terrible  weapons  of  offence,  and  can  be  wielded  with  marvellous 
skill.  Striking  right  and  left  with  these  natural  bayonets,  the  adult 
Gems-bok  is  a  match  for  most  of  the  smaller  carnivora,  and  has  even 
been  known  to  wage  a  successful  duel  with  the  lordly  lion,  and  fairly 
to  beat  off  its  antagonist.  Even  when  the  lion  has  overcome  the 
Gems-bok,  the  battle  may  sometimes  be  equally  claimed  by  both  sides, 
for  in  one  instance  the  dead  bodies  of  a  lion  and  a  Gems-bok  were  found 
lying  on  the  plain,  the  horns  of  the  Anteh^pe  being  driven  so  firmly 
18 «-  0 


210 


THE  GEMS-BOK  AND  THE  ORYX. 


into  the  lion's  body  that  they  could  not  be  extracted  by  the  efforts  of 
a  single  man.  The  lion  had  evidently  sprung  upon  the  Gems-bok, 
which  had  received  its  foe  upon  the  points  of  its  horns,  and  had  sacri- 
ficed its  own  life  in  destroying  that  of  its  adversary. 

As  is  the  case  with  many  long-horned  animals,  one  of  the  horns, 
usually  the  left,  is  shorter  than  the  other.  In  a  fine  pair  of  Gems-bok 
horns  in  my  collection,  the  left  horn  is  nearly  three  inches  shorter  than 
the  right. 

Although  the  Gems-bok  is  nearly  independent  of  water,  it  stands  as 
much  in  need  of  moisture  as  any  other  animal,  and  would  speedily  per- 
ish in  the  arid  des- 
erts were  it  not  di- 
rected by  its  in- 
stincts toward 
certain  succulent 
plants  which  are 
placed  in  those  re- 
gions, and  which 
possess  the  useful 
power  of  attracting 
and  retaining  every 
particle  of  moisture 
which  may  happen 
to  settle  in  their 
vicinity.  The  most 
common  and  most 
valuable  of  these 
plants  is  a  bulbous 
root,  belonging  to 
the  Liliacea,  called, 
from  its  peculiar 
property  of  retain- 
ing the  moisture, 
the  AVater-root. 
Only  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  valuable  plant  appears  above  the  ground,  and  the 
water-bearing  bulb  is  so  encrusted  with  hardened  soil  that  it  must 
be  dug  out  with  a  knife.  Several  other  succulent  plants  also  possess 
similar  qualities,  among  which  may  be  noticed  a  kind  of  little  melon 
which  is  spread  over  the  whole  of  the  great  Kalahari  desert. 

Resembling  the  Gems-bok  in  many  particulars,  the  Oryx  can  be 
easily  distinguished  from  its  predecessor  by  the  shape  of  the  horns, 
which,  instead  of  being  nearly  straight,  are  considerably  bent,  and 
sweep  toward  the  back  in  a  noble  curve. 


The  Gems-bok  {Oryx,   Guzella). 


THE  CHAMOIS. 


211 


It  uses  these  horns  with  as  much  address  as  its  near  relative  the 
gems-bok,  and  if  it  should  be  lying  wounded  on  the  ground,  the  hunter 
must  beware  of  approaching  the  seemingly  quiescent  animal,  lest  it 
should  suddenly  strike  at  him  with  its  long  and  keenly-pointed  horns, 
while  its  body  lies  prostrate  on  the  earth.  Should  it  be  standing  at 
bay,  it  is  a  very  dangerous  opponent,  having  a  habit  of  suddenly  low- 
ering its  head  and  charging  forward  with  a  quick,  lightning-like  speed, 
from  which  its  antagonist  cannot  escape  without  difficulty. 

The  color  of  this  animal  is  grayish  white  upon  the  greater  part  of  its 
person,  and  is  diversified  by  sundry  bold  markings  of  black  and  ruddy 
brown,  which  are  spread  over  the  head  and  body.  The  height  of  the 
Oryx  is  rather  more  than  three  feet  six  inches,  and  the  long  curved 
horns  are  upwards  of  three  feet  in  length.  These  horns  are  set  closely 
together  upon  the  head,  from  whence  they  diverge  gradually  to  their 
extremities.  These  weapons  are  covered  with  rings  at  their  bases,  but 
at  their  tips  the^are  smooth  and  exceedingly  sharp.  Their  color  is 
black. 

Goat-like  in  aspect,  and  very  hircine  in  many  of  its  habits,  tlie 
Chamois  is  often  supposed  to  belong  to  the  goats  rather  than  to  the 
Antelopes. 

It  is,  however,  a  true  Antelope,  and  may  readily  be  distinguished 
from  any  of  its  relations  by  the  peculiar  form  of  the  horns,  which  rise 
straight  from  the  top  of  the  head 
for  some  inches,  and  then  sud- 
jienly  curve  backward,  so  as  to 
form  a  pair  of  sharp  hooks.  In 
descending  a  precipitous  rock, 
the  Chamois  is  greatly  aided  by 
the  false  hoofs  of  the  hinder 
feet,  which  it  hitches  upon  every 
little  irregularity  in  the  stony 
surface,  and  which  seem  to  re- 
tard its  progress  as  it  slides 
downward,  guided  by  the  sharp 
hoofs  of  the  fore-feet,  which  are 
placed  closely  together,  and 
pushed  well  in  advance  of  the 
body.  Thus  flattened  against 
the  rock,  the  Chamois  slides  downwards  until  it  comes  to  a  ledge 
broad  enough  to  permit  it  to  repose  itself  for  a  while  before  descend- 
ing farther.  In  this  manner  the  active  creature  will  not  hesitate  to 
descend  some  twenty  or  thirty  yards  along  the  face  of  an  almost  per- 
pendicular cliif,  being  sure  to  make  good  its  footing  on  the  first  broad 
ledge  that  may  present  itself. 


The  Chamois  {Rapicapm  Tragus). 


212  THE  CHAMOIS. 

The  Chamois  is  one  of  the  most  wary  of  Antelopes,  and  possesses  the 
power  of  scenting  mankind  at  an  almost  incredible  distance.  Even  the 
old  and  half-obliterated  footmarks  which  a  man  has  made  in  the  snow 
are  sufficient  to  startle  the  sensitive  fears  of  this  animal,  which  has  been 
observed  to  stop  in  mid-career  down  a  mountain-side,  and  to  bound 
away  at  right  angles  to  its  former  course,  merely  because  it  had  come 
across  the  track  which  had  been  left  by  the  steps  of  some  mountain- 
traveller.  Like  all  animals  which  live  in  herds,  however  small,  they 
always  depute  one  of  their  number  to  act  as  sentinel.  They  are  not, 
however,  entirely  dependent  on  the  vigilance  of  their  picket,  but  are 
always  on  the  alert  to  take  alarm  at  the  least  suspicious  scent,  sight,  or 
sound,  and  to  communicate  their  fears  to  their  comrades  by  a  peculiar 
warning  whistle.  As  soon  as  this  sound  is  heard,  the  entire  herd  take 
to  flight. 

Their  ears  are  as  acute  as  their  nostrils,  so  that  there  are  few  animals 
which  are  more  difficult  of  approach  than  the  Chamois.  Only  those  who 
have  been  trained  to  climb  the  giddy  heights  of  the  Alpine  mountains, 
to  traverse  the  most  fearful  precipices  with  a  quiet  pulse  and  steady 
head,  to  exist  for  days  amid  the  terrible  solitudes  of  ice,  rock,  and  snow, 
and  to  sustain  almost  every  imaginable  hardship  in  the  pursuit  of  their 
game, — only  these,  or  in  very  rare  instances  those  who  have  a  natural 
aptitude  for  the  sport,  and  are,  in  consequence,  soon  initiated  into  its 
requisite  accomplishments,  can  hope  to  come  within  even  long  rifle  range 
of  a  Chamois  when  the  animal  is  at  large  upon  its  native  cliffs. 

The  food  of  the  Chamois  consists  of  the  various  herbs  which  grow 
upon  the  mountains,  and  in  the  winter  season  it  finds  its  nourishment 
on  the  buds  of  sundry  trees,  mostly  of  an  aromatic  nature,  such  as  the 
fir,  pine,  and  juniper.  In  consequence  of  this  diet  the  flesh  assumes  a 
rather  powerful  odor,  which  is  decidedly  repulsive  to  the  palates  of  some 
persons,  while  others  seem  to  appreciate  the  peculiar  flavor,  and  to  value 
it  as  higlily  as  the  modern  gourmand  appreciates  the  "  gamey  "  flavor 
of  long-kept  venison.  The  skin  is  largely  employed  in  the  manufacture 
of  a  certain  leather,  which  is  widely  famous  for  its  soft  though  tough 
character.  The  color  of  the  Chamois  is  yellowish  brown  upon  the 
greater  portion  of  the  body,  the  spinal  line  being  marked  with  a  black 
streak.  In  the  winter  months  the  fur  darkens  and  becomes  blackish 
bro^yn.  The  face,  cheeks,  and  throat  are  of  a  yellowish-white  hue,  di- 
versified by  a  dark  brownish-black  band  which  passes  from  the  corner 
of  the  mouth  to  the  eyes,  when  it  suddenly  dilates  and  forms  a  nearly 
perfect  ring  round  the  eyes.  The  horns  are  jetty  black  and  highly  pol- 
ished, especially  toward  the  tips,  which  are  extremely  sharp.  There 
are  several  obscure  rings  on  the  basal  portions,  and  their  entire  surface 
is  marked  with  longitudinal  lines. 

Several  varieties  of  the  Chamois  are  recorded,  but  the  distinctions 


THE  GNOO. 


213 


between  them  lie  only  in  the  comparative  length  of  the  horns  and  the 
hue  of  the  coat.  The  full-grown  Chamois  is  rather  more  than  two  feet 
in  height,  and  the  horns  are  from  six  to  eight  inches  long. 

Of  all  the  Antelopes,  the  Gnoo  presents  the  most  extraordinary  con- 
formation. At  the  first  sight  of  this  curious  animal  the  spectator  seems 
to  doubt  whether  it  is  a  horse,  a  bull,  or  an  Antelope,  as  it  appears  to 
partake  nearly  equally  of  the  nature  of  these  three  animals. 

The  Gnoos,  of  which  there 
are  several  species,  may  be 
easily  recognized  by  the  fierce- 
looking  head,  their  peculiarly 
shaped  horns,  which  are  bent 
downward  and  then  upward 
again  with  a  sharp  curve,  by 
their  broad  nose  and  long 
hair-clad  tail.  They  live  to- 
gether in  considerable  herds, 
often  mixing  with  zebras,  os- 
triches, and  giraflTes  in  one  huge 
army  of  living  beings.  In  their 
habits  they  are  not  unlike  the 
wild  cattle  which  have  already 
been  described.  Suspicious, 
timid,  curious  of  disposition,  and  irritable  of  temper,  they  display 
these  mingled  qualities  in  a  very  ludicrous  manner  whenever  they  are 
alarmed  by  a  strange  object. 

"  They  commence  whisking  their  long  white  tails/'  says  Gumming, 
"in  a  most  eccentric  manner;  then,  springing  suddenly  into  the  air, 
they  begin  pawing  and  capering,  and  pursue  each  other  in  circles  at 
their  utmost  speed.  Sudtlenly  they  all  pull  up  together  to  overhaul 
the  intruder,  when  some  of  the  bulls  will  often  commence  fighting  in 
the  most  violent  manner,  dropping  on  their  knees  at  every  shock ;  then, 
quickly  wheeling  about,  they  kick  up  their  heels,  whirl  their  tails  with 
a  fantastic  flourish,  and  scour  across  the  plain,  enveloped  in  a  cloud  of 
dust."  On  account  of  these  extraordinary  manoeuvres,  the  Gnoo  is 
called  Wildebeest  by  the  Dutch  settlers.  The  Gnoos  in  the  Zoological 
Gardens  may  often  be  seen  at  their  gambols. 

The  color  of  the  ordinary  Gnoo  ( Connochetes  Gnu)  is  brownish  black, 
sometimes  with  a  blue-gray  wash.  The  mane  is  black,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  lower  part,  which  is  often  grayish  white,  as  is  the  lower  part 
of  the  tail.  The  nose  is  covered  with  a  tuft  of  reversed  hair,  and  there 
is  a  mane  upon  the  chest. 

The  Gnoo  is  about  three  feet  nine  inches  high  at  the  shoulders,  and 
measures  about  six  feet  six  inches  from  the  nose  to  the  root  of  the  tail. 


The  Gnoo  {Connochtlts  Gnu). 


214 


THE  KOODOO. 


By  far  the  most  striking  and  imposing  of  all  South  African  Ante- 
lopes, the  Koodoo,  now  claims  our  attention. 

This  truly  magnificent  creature  is  about  four  feet  in  height  at  the 
shoulder,  and  its  body  is  rather  heavily  made,  so  that  it  is  really  a  large 
animal.  The  curiously-twisted  horns  are  nearly  three  feet  in  length, 
and  4re  furnished  witli  a  strong  ridge  or  keel,  which  extends  through- 
out their  entire  length.  It 
is  not  so  swift  or  enduring 
as  many  Antelopes,  and 
can  be  run  down  without 
difficulty,  provided  that 
the  hunter  be  mounted  on 
a  good  horse,  and  the 
ground  be  tolerably  fair 
and  open.  Its  leaping 
powers  are  very  great,  for 
one  of  these  animals  has 
been  known  to  leap  t^  a 
height  of  nearly  ten  feet 
without  the  advantage  of 
a  run. 

The  flesh  of  the  Koodoo 
is  remarkably  good,  and 
the  marrow  of  the  princi- 
pal bones  is  thought  to  be 

one  of  Africa's   best  lux- 
The  Koodoo  {Strepsiceros  Kudu).  ^^^-^^^      g^  ^.^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^_ 

tives  of  this  dainty  that  they  will  break  the  bones  and  suck  out  the 
marrow  without  even  cooking  it  in  any  way  whatever.  The  skin 
of  this  animal  is  extremely  valuable,  and  for  some  purposes  is  al- 
most priceless.  There  is  no  skin  that  will  make  nearly  so  good  a  "fore- 
slock,"  or  whip-lash,  as  that  of  the  Koodoo ;  for  its  thin,  tough  sub- 
stance is  absolutely  required  for  such  a  purpose.  Shoes,  thongs,  cer- 
tain parts  of  harness,  and  other  similar  objects  are  manufactured  from 
the  Koodoo's  skin,  which,  when  properly  prepared,  is  worth  a  sovereign 
or  thirty  shillings  even  in  its  own  land. 

The  Koodoo  is  very  retiring  in  disposition,  and  is  seldom  seen  except 
by  those  who  come  to  look  for  it.  It  lives  in  little  herds  or  families  of 
five  or  six  in  number,  but  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  a  solitary  hermit 
here  or  there,  probably  an  animal  which  has  been  expelled  from  some 
family,  and  is  awaiting  the  time  for  setting  up  a  family  of  his  own.  As 
it  is  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  brushwood,  the  heavy  spiral  horns  would 
appear  to  be  great  hindrances  to  their  owner's  progress  ;  such  is  not, 
however,  the  case,  for  when  the  Koodoo  runs,  it  lays  its  horns  upon  its 


THE  ELAND. 


215 


back,  and  is  thus  enabled  to  thread  the  tangled  bush  without  difficulty. 
Some  writers  say  that  the  old  males  will  sometimes  establish  a  bachelors' 
club,  and  live  harmoniously  together  without  admitting  any  of  the  op- 
posite sex  into  their  society. 

The  color  of  the  Koodoo  is  a  reddish  gray,  marked  with  several 
white  streaks  running  boldly  over  the  back  and  down  the  sides.  The 
females  are  destitute  of  horns. 

The  Eland,  Impoofo,  or  Canna,  is  the  largest  of  the  South  African 
Antelopes,  being  equal  in  dimensions  to  a  very  large  ox. 

A  fine  specimen  of  an  adult  bull  Eland  will  measure  nearly  six  feet 
in  height  at  the  shoulders,  and  is  more  than  proportionately  ponderous 
in  his  build,  being  heavily  burdened  with  fat  as  well  as  with  flesh. 
Owing  to  this  great  weight  of  body,  the  Eland  is  not  so  enduring  as 
the  generality  of  Antelopes,  and  can  usually  be  ridden  down  without 
much  trouble.  Indeed,  the  chase  of  the  animal  is  so  simple  a  matter 
that  the  hunters  generally  contrive  to  drive  it  toward  their  encamp- 
ment, and  will  not  kill  it  until  it  has  approached  the  wagon  so  closely 
that  they  will  have  but  little  trouble  in  conveying  its  flesh  and  hide  to 
their  wheeled  treasure-house. 

The  flesh  of  the  Eland  is  peculiarly  excellent ;  and,  as  it  possesses 
the  valuable  quality  of  being  tender  immediately  after  the  animal  is 
killed,  it  is  highly 
appreciated  in  the 
interior  of  South  Af- 
rica, where  usually  all 
the  meat  is  as  tough 
as  shoe-leather,  and 
nearly  as  dry.  In 
some  strange  manner, 
the  Eland  contrives 
to  live  for  months  to- 
gether without  drink- 
ing, and  even  when  the 
herbage  is  so  dry  that 
it  crumbles  into  pow- 
der in  the  hand,  the 
animal  preserves  its 
good  condition,  and 
is,  moreover,  found  to 
contain  water  in  its 
stomach  if  opened.  For  its  abstinence  from  liquids  the  Eland  com- 
pensates by  its  ravenous  appetite  for  solid  food,  and  is  so  large  a  feeder 
that  the  expense  of  keeping  it  would  be  almost  too  great  for  any  one 
who  endeavored  to  domesticate  it  in  England  with  any  hope  of  profit. 


The  Eland  (Oirm  OmrM). 


216 


THE  NYLGHAU. 


Passing  from  Africa  to  Asia,  we  find  a  curious  and  handsome  Ante- 
lope, partaking  of  many  of  the  characteristics  which  are  found  in  the 
Koodoo  and  Bosch-bok.  This  is  the  Nylghau,  an  inhabitant  of  the 
thickly-wooded  districts  of  India. 

This  magnificent  Antelope  is  rather  more  than  four  feet  high  at 

the   shoulders,  and  its 
^^^^--  general    color    is   a    slate- 

blue.  The  face  is  marked 
wnth  brown  or  sepia ;  the 
long  neck  is  furnished 
with  a  bold  dark  mane, 
and  a  long  tuft  of  coarse 
hair  hangs  from  the 
throat.  The  female  is 
smaller  than  her  mate, 
and  hornless.  Her  coat 
is  generally  a  reddish 
gray,  instead  of  partak- 
ing of  the  slate-blue  tint 
^       ^^  ^„  ,    .  which  colors  the  form  of 

^  -^  '  the  male.     Ihe   hmd-legs 

of  this   animal    are   rather   shorter   than    the   fore-legs.      Its   name, 
Nylghau,  is  of  Persian  origin,  and  signifies  "  blue  ox." 

It  does  not  seem  to  be  of  a  social  disposition,  and  is  generally  found 
in  pairs  inhabiting  the  borders  of  the  jungle.  There  are,  however, 
many  examples'  of  solitary  males.  It  is  a  shy  and  wary  animal,  and 
the  hunter  who  desires  to  shoot  it  is  obliged  to  exert  his  bush-craft  to 
the  utmost  in  order  to  attain  his  purpose.  To  secure  a  Nylghau  re- 
quires a  good  marksman  as  well  as  a  good  stalker,  for  the  animal  is 
very  tenacious  of  life,  and  if  not  struck  in  the  proper  spot  will  carry 
oflT  a  heavy  bullet  without  seeming  to  be  much  the  worse  at  the  time. 
The  native  chiefs  are  fond  of  hunting  the  Nylghau,  and  employ  in  the 
chase  a  whole  army  of  beaters  and  trackers,  so  that  the  poor  animal 
has  no  chance  of  fair  play.  These  hunts  are  not  without  their  excite- 
ment, for  the  Nylghau's  temper  is  of  the  shortest,  and  when  it  feels 
itself  aggrieved,  it  suddenly  turns  upon  its  opponent,  drops  on  its 
knees,  and  leaps  forward  with  such  astounding  rapidity  that  the  attack 
can  hardly  be  avoided,  even  when  the  intended  victim  is  aware  of  the 
animal's  intentions. 

The  Nylghau  is  not  of  very  great  value  either  to  individual  hunters 
or  for  commercial  purposes.  The  hide  is  employed  in  the  manufacture 
of  shields,  but  the  flesh  is  coarse  and  without  flavor.  There  are,  how- 
ever, exceptions  to  be  found  in  the  "hump"  of  the  male,  the  tongue, 
and  the  marrow-bones,  which  are  thought  to  be  rather  delicate  articles 


THE   IBEX. 


217 


of  diet.  Its  gait  is  rather  clumsy,  but  very  rapid,  and  generally 
consists  of  a  peculiar  long  swinging  canter,  which  is  not  easily  over- 
taken. 

GOATS  AND  SHEEP. 

Closely  allied  to  each  other,  the  Goats  and  Sheep  can  easily  be  sep- 
arated by  a  short  examination.  In  the  Goats,  which  will  first  come  un- 
der consideration,  the  horns  are  erect,  decidedly  compressed,  curved 
backward  and  outward,  and  are  supplied  with  a  ridge  or  heel  of  horny 
substance  in  front.  The  males  generally  possess  a  thickly-bearded  chin, 
and  are  all  notable  for  a  powerful  and  very  rank  odor  which  is  not  pres- 
ent in  the  male  sheep. 

Of  the  genus  Capra,  which  includes  several  species,  the  Ibex,  or 
Steinbock,  is  a  familiar  and  excellent  example. 

This  animal,  an  inhabitant  of  the  Alps,  is  remarkable  for  the  ex- 
ceeding development  of  the  horns,  which  are  sometimes  more  than 
three  feet  in  length,  and  of  such 
extraordinary  dimensions  that 
they  appear  to  a  casual  observer 
to  be  peculiarly  unsuitable  for  an 
animal  that  traverses  the  craggy 
regions  of  Alpine  precipices. 

To  hunt  the  Ibex  successfully 
is  as  hard  a  matter  as  hunting 
the  chamois,  for  the  Ibex  is  to  the 
full  as  wary  and  active  an  animal, 
and  is  sometimes  apt  to  turn  the 
tables  on  its  pursuer,  and  assume 
an  offensive  deportment.  Should 
the  hunter  approach  too  near  the 
Ibex,  the  animal  will,  as  if  sud- 
denly urged  by  the  reckless  cour- 
age of  despair,  dash  boldly  for- 
ward at  its  foe,  and   strike   him 


The  Ibex  {Capra  Ibex). 


from  the  precipitous  rock  over  which  he  is  forced  to  pass.  The  diffi- 
culty of  the  chase  is  further  increased  by  the  fact  that  the  Ibex  is  a 
remarkably  endurant  animal,  and  is  capable  of  abstaining  from  food 
or  water  for  a  considerable  time. 

It  lives  in  little  bands  of  five  or  ten  in  number,  each  troop  being  un- 
der the  command  of  an  old  male,  and  preserving  admirable  order 
among  themselves.  Their  sentinel  is  ever  on  the  watch,  and  at  the 
slightest  suspicious  sound,  scent,  or  object,  the  warning  whistle  is 
blown,  and  the  whole  troop  make  instantly  for  the  highest  attainable 
point.     Their  instinct  always  leads  them  upward,  an  inborn  "  exeel- 

19 


218 


THE  GOAT. 


sior"  being  woven  into  their  very  natures,  and  as  soon  as  they  perceive 
dauo-er  they  invariably  begin  to  mount  toward  the  line  of  perpetual 
snow.  The  young  of  this  animal  are  produced  in  April,  and  in  a  few 
hours  after  their  birth  they  are  strong  enough  to  follow  their  parent. 

The  color  of  the  Ibex  is  a  reddish  brown  in  summer  and  gray  brown 
in  winter ;  a  dark  stripe  passes  along  the  spine  and  over  the  face,  and 
the  abdomen  and  interior  faces  of  the  limbs  are  washed  with  whitish 
gray.  The  horns  are  covered  from  base  to  point  with  strongly-marked 
transverse  ridges,  the  number  of  which  is  variable,  and  is  thought  by 
some  persons  to  denote  the  age  of  the  animal.  In  the  females  the 
horns  are  not  nearly  so  large  or  so  heavily  ridged  as  in  the  male.  The 
Ibex  is  also  known  under  the  name  of  Bouquetin. 

There  is  an  enormous  number  of  varieties  of  the  common  domestic 
Goat,  many  of  them  being  so  unlike  the  original  stock  from  which 
they  sprang  as  to  appear  like  different  species.  For  the  present,  we 
_  will  turn   to   the  common   Goat  of 

Europe,  with  which  we  are  all  so, 
familiar.  This  animal  is  often  seen 
domesticated,  especially  in  and  about 
stables,  as  there  is  a  prevalent  idea 
that  the  rank  smell  of  the  Goat  is 
beneficial  to  horses.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  the  animal  seems  quite  at 
home  in  a  stable,  and  a  very  firm 
friendship  often  arises  between  the 
Goat  and  one  of  the  horses.  Some- 
times it  gets  so  petted  by  the  fre- 
quenters of  the  stables  that  it  be- 
comes presumptuous,  and  assaults 
any  one  whom  it  may  not  happen 
to  recognize  as  a  friend.  Happily, 
a  Goat,  however  belligerent  he  may  be,  is  easily  conquered  if  his  beard 
can  only  be  grasped,  and  when  he  is  thus  captured,  he  yields  at  once 
to  his  conqueror,  assumes  a  downcast  air,  and  bkats  in  a  very  pitiful 
tone,  as  if  asking  for  mercy. 

In  its  wild  state  the  Goat  is  a  fleet  and  agile  animal,  delighting  in 
rocks  and  precipitous  localities,  and  treading  their  giddy  heights  with 
a  foot  as  sure  and  an  eye  as  steady  as  those  of  the  chamois  or  ibex. 
Even  in  domesticated  life,  this  love  of  clambering  is  never  eradicated, 
and  wherever  may  be  an  accessible  roof  or  rock,  or  even  a  hill,  there 
the  Goat  may  generally  be  found. 

The  varieties  of  the  Goat  are  almost  numberless,  and  it  will  be  im- 
possible even  to  notice  more  than  one  or  two  of  the  most  prominent  ex- 
am pl-^s.     One  of  the  most  valuable  of  these  varieties  is  the  celebrated 


The  Goat  {Hircus  jEgdgrus). 


THE  SHEEP. 


219 


The  Female  Goat. 


Cashmir  Goat,  whose  soft  silky  hair  furnishes  material  for  the  soft  and 
costly  fabrics  which  are  so  highly  valued  in  all  civilized  lauds. 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  Thibet  and  the  neighboring  locality,  but 
the  Cashmir  shawls  are  not  manufactured  in  the  same  land  which  sup- 
plies the  material.  The  fur  of  the  Cashmir  Goat  is  of  two  sorts — a  soft, 
woolly  under-coat  of  grayish 
hair,  and  a  covering  of  long 
silken  hairs  that  serves  to 
defend  the  interior  coat  from 
the  effects  of  winter.  The 
woolly  under-coat  is  the  sub- 
stance from  which  the  Cash- 
mir shawls  are  woven,  and  in 
order  to  make  a  single  shawl  a 
yard  and  a  half  square,  at  least 
ten  Goats  are  robbed  of  their 
natural  covering.  Beautiful 
as  are  these  fabrics,  they  would 
be  sold  at  a  very  much  lower  price  but  for  the  heavy  and  numerous 
taxes  which  are  laid  upon  the  material  in  all  the  stages  of  its  man- 
ufacture, and  after  its  completion  upon  the  finished  article.  Indeed,  the 
buyer  of  an  imported  Cashmir  shawl  is  forced  to  pay  at  least  a  thou- 
sand per  cent,  on  his  purchase. 

From  time  immemorial  the  Sheep  has  been  subjected  to  the  ways 
of  man,  and  has  provided  him  with  meat  and  clothing,  as  well  as  with 

many  articles  of  do- 
mestic use.  The 
whole  carcase  of  the 
Sheep  is  as  useful 
as  that  of  the  ox, 
and  there  is  not  a 
single  portion  of  its 
body  that  is  not  con- 
verted to  some  ben- 
eficial purpose.  The 
animal,  as  we  now 
possess  it,  and  which 
has  diverged  into 
such  innumerable 
varieties,  is  never 
found  in  a  state  of 
absolute  wildness, 
and  has  evidently  derived  its  origin  from  some  hitherto  undomesticated 
species.    In  the  opinion  of  many  naturalists,  the  mouflon  may  lay  claim 


The  Cashmir  Goat. 


220  THE  MERINO  SHEEP. 

to  the  pareutage  of  our  domestic  Sheep,  but  other  writers  have  separated 
the  moiiflons  from  the  Sheep,  aud  placed  them  in  a  different  genus. 

Although  the  Sheep  is  generally  considered  to  be  a  timid  animal, 
aud  is  really  so  when  forced  into  adverse  circumstances  and  deprived 
of  its  wonted  liberty,  it  is  truly  as  bold  an  animal  as  can  well  be  seen, 
and  often  gives  many  proofs  of  its  courage.  If,  for  example,  a  travel- 
ler comes  unexpectedly  upon  a  flock  of  the  little  Sheep  that  range  the 
Welsh  mountains,  they  will  not  flee  from  his  presence,  but  draw  to- 
gether into  a  compact  body,  and  watch  him  with  stern  and  unyielding 
gaze.  Should  he  attempt  to  advance,  he  would  be  instantly  assailed  by 
the  rams,  which  form  the  first  line  in  such  cases,  and  would  fare  but 
badly  in  the  encounter.  A  dog,  if  it  should  happen  to  accompany  the 
intruder,  would  probably  be  at  once  charged  and  driven  from  the  spot. 

Even  a  single  ram  is  no  mean  antagonist  when  he  is  thoroughly 
irritated,  and  his  charge  is  really  formidable.  Sheep  differ  from  goats 
in  their  manner  of  fighting ;  the  latter  animals  rear  themselves  on 
their  hind-legs,  and  then  plunge  sideways  upon  their  adversary,  while 
the  former  animals  hurl  themselves  forward,  and  strike  their  opponent 
with  the  whole  weight  as  well  as  impetus  of  the  body.  So  terrible  is 
the  shock  of  a  ram's  charge  that  it  has  been  known  to  prostrate  a  bull 
at  the  first  blow.  Nor  is  the  Sheep  combative  only  when  irritated  by 
opposition  or  when  danger  threatens  itself  A  Sheep  that  had  been 
led  into  a  slaughter-house  has  been  known  to  turn  fiercely  upon  the 
butcher  as  he  was  about  to  kill  one  of  its  companions,  and  to  butt 
him  severely  in  order  to  make  him  relinquish  his  grasp  of  its  friend. 

In  the  British  Isles  the  sheep  breeds  freely,  producing  generally  one 
or  two  lambs  every  year,  and  sometimes  presenting  its  owner  with  three 
at  a  birth.  One  instance  is  on  record  of  a  wonderfully  prolific  ewe. 
She  had  hardly  passed  her  second  year  when  she  produced  four  lambs. 
The  next  year  she  had  five ;  the  year  after  that  she  bore  twins  ;  and 
the  next  year  five  again.  On  two  successive  years  she  bore  twins. 
Two  out  of  the  four  and  three  out  of  the  five  were  necessarily  fed 
by  hand. 

We  will  now  advert  shortly  to  some  of  the  principal  breeds  or  varie- 
ties of  the  Sheep. 

Of  all  the  domestic  varieties  of  this  useful  animal,  the  Spanish  or 
Merino  Sheep  has  attracted  the  greatest  attention. 

Originally,  this  animal  is  a  native  of  Spain,  a  country  which  has 
been  for  many  centuries  celebrated  for  the  quantity  and  quality  of  its 
wool.  The  Merino  Sheep,  from  whom  the  long  and  fine  Spanish 
wool  was  obtained,  were  greatly  improved  by  an  admixture  with  the 
Cotswold  Sheep  of  England,  some  of  which  were  sent  to  Spain  in 
1464,  and  the  fleece  was  so  improved  by  the  crossing  that  the  famous 
English  wool  was  surpassed  by  that  which  was  supplied  by  Spain. 


MANNEE  OF  KEEPING  IT.  221 

In  Spain  the  Merinos  are  kept  in  vast  flocks,  and  divided  into  two 
general  heads,  the  stationary  and  the  migratory.  The  former  animals 
remain  in  the  same  locality  during  the  whole  of  their  lives,  but  the 
latter  are  accustomed  to  undertake  regular  annual  migrations.  The 
summer  months  they  spend  in  the  cool  mountainous  districts,  but  as 
soon  as  the  weather  begins  to  grow  cold  the  flocks  pass  into  the  warmer 


The  Merino  or  Spanish  Sheep. 

regions  of  Andalusia,  where  they  remain  until  April.  The  flocks  are 
sometimes  ten  thousand  in  number,  and  the  organization  by  which  they 
are  managed  is  very  complex  and  perfect.  Over  each  great  flock  is 
set  one  experienced  shepherd,  who  is  called  the  "  mayoral,"  and  who 
exercises  despotic  sway  over  his  subordinates,  Fifty  shepherds  are 
placed  under  his  orders,  and  are  supplied  with  boys  and  intelligent 

Under  the  guardianship  of  their  shepherds,  the  Merino  sheep,  which 
have  spent  the  summer  in  the  mountains,  begin  their  downward  journey 
about  the  month  of  September;  and  after  a  long  and  leisurely  march 
they  arrive  at  the  pasture-grounds,  which  are  recognized  instinctively 
by  the  sheep.  In  these  pasturages  the  winter  folds  are  prepared,  and 
here  are  born  the  young  Merinos,  which  generally  enter  the  world  in 
March  or  the  beginning  of  April.  Toward  the  end  of  that  month  the 
Sheep  begin  to  be  restless,  and,  unless  they  are  at  once  removed,  will 
often  decamp  of  their  own  accord.  Sometimes  a  whole  flock  will  thus 
escape,  and,  guided  by  some  marvellous  instinct,  will  make  their  way 
to  their  old  quarters,  unharmed,  except  perchance  by  some  prowling 
wolf,  who  takes  advantage  of  the  shepherd's  absence. 

The  very  young  lambs  are  not  without  their  value,  although  they 
furnish  no  wool,  for  their  skins  are  prepared  and  sent  to  France  and 
England,  where  they  are  manufactured  into  gloves,  and  called  by  the 
name  of  "  kid." 

19* 


222  THE  GIRAFFE. 

GIRAFFES. 

Tallest  of  all  earthly  dwellers,  the  Giraffe  erects  its  stately  head 
far  above  any  other  animal  that  walks  the  face  of  the  globe.  It  is  an 
inhabitant  of  various  parts  of  Africa,  and  is  evidently  a  unique  being, 
comprising  in  itself  an  entire  tribe.  The  color  of  the  coat  is  slightly 
different  in  the  specimens  which  inhabit  the  northern  and  the  southern 
portions  of  Africa,  the  southern  animal  being  rather  darker  than  its 
northern  relative. 

The  height  of  a  full-grown  male  Giraffe  is  from  eighteen  to  twenty 
feet,  the  female  being  somewhat  less  in  her  dimensions.  The  greater 
part  of  this  enormous  stature  is  obtained  by  the  extraordinarily  long  neck, 
which  is  nevertheless  possessed  of  only  seven  vertebrae,  as  in  ordinary 
animals.  Those  bones  are,  however,  extremely  elongated,  and  their  artic- 
ulation is  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  which  they  are  called  upon 
to  fulfil.  The  back  of  the  Giraffe  slopes  considerably  from  the  shoul- 
ders to  the  tail,  and  at  first  sight  the  fore-legs  of  the  animal  appear  to 
be  longer  than  the  hinder  limbs.  The  legs  themselves  are,  however, 
of  equal  length,  and  the  elevation  of  the  shoulders  is  due  to  the  very 
great  elongation  of  the  shoulder-blades.  Upon  the  head  are  two  ex- 
crescences which  resemble  horns,  and  are  popularly  called  by  that 
name.  They  are  merely  growths  or  developments  of  certain  bones  of 
the  skull,  somewhat  similar  to  the  bony  cores  on  which  the  hollow 
horns  of  the  oxen  and  antelopes  are  set.  These  quasi-horns  are  cov- 
ered with  skin,  and  have  on  their  summits  a  tuft  of  dark  hair.  On 
the  forehead,  and  nearly  between  the  eyes,  a  third  bony  2:)rojection  is 
seen,  occupying  the  same  position  that  was  traditionally  accredited  to 
the  horn  of  the  unicorn. 

The  singular  height  of  this  animal  is  entirely  in  accordance  with  its 
habits  and  its  mode  of  acquiring  food.  As  the  creature  is  accustomed 
to  feed  upon  the  leaves  of  trees,  it  must  necessarily  be  of  very  consid- 
erable stature  to  be  able  to  reach  the  leaves  on  which  it  browses,  and 
must  also  be  possessed  of  organs  by  means  of  which  it  can  select  and 
gather  such  portions  of  the  foliage  as  may  suit  its  palate.  The  former 
object  is  gained  by  the  great  length  of  the  neck  and  legs,  and  the  lat- 
ter by  the  wonderful  development  of  the  tongue,  which  is  so  marvel- 
lously formed  that  it  is  capable  of  a  considerable  amount  of  prehen- 
sile power,  and  can  be  elongated  or  contracted  in  a  very  wonderful  man- 
ner. Large  as  is  the  animal,  it  can  contract  the  tip  of  its  tongue  into 
so  small  a  compass  that  it  can  pass  into  the  pipe  of  an  ordinary  pocket- 
key,  while  its  prehensile  powers  enable  its  owner  to  pluck  any  selected 
leaf  with  perfect  ease.  In  captivity  the  Giraffe  is  rather  apt  to  make 
too  free  a  use  of  its  tongue,  such  as  twitching  the  artificial  flowers  and 
foliage  from  ladies'  bonnets,  or  any  similar  freak. 


ITS  FOOD. 


223 


For  grazing  upon  level  ground  the  Giraffe  is  peculiarly  unfitted,  and 
never  attempts  that  feat  excepting  when  urged  by  hunger  or  some  very 
pressing  cause.  It  is,  however,  perfectly  capable  of  bringing  its  mouth 
to  the  ground,  although  with  considerable  effort  and  much  straddling 
of  the  fore-legs. 
By  placing  a  lump 
of  sugar  on  the 
ground,  the  Giraffe 
may  be  induced  to 
lower  its  head  to 
the  earth,  and  to 
exhibit  some  of 
that  curious  mix- 
ture of  grace  and 
awkwardness  which 
characterizes  this 
singular  animal. 

In  its  native  coun- 
try its  usual  food 
consists  of  the 
leaves  of  a  kind  of 
acacia,  named  the 
Kameel-dorn,  or 
Camel-thorn  {Aca- 
cia giraffe).  The 
animal  is  exceed- 
ingly fastidious  in 
its  appetite,  and 
carefully  rejects 
every  thorn,  scru- 
pulously plucking 
only  the  freshest 
and  greenest  leaves. 
When  supplied 
with  cut  grass,  the 
Giraffe  takes  each 
blade  daintily  be- 
tween its  lips,  and 
nibbles  gradually 


The  Giraffe  {Gimffa  Camelopdrdalis). 


from  the  top  to  the  stem,  after  the  manner  in  which  we  eat  asparagus. 
As  soon  as  it  has  eaten  the  tender  and  green  portion  of  the  grass,  it 
rejects  the  remainder  as  unfit  for  consumption.  Hay,  carrots,  onions, 
and  different  vegetables  form  its  principal  diet  while  it  is  kept  in  a 
state  of  captivity. 


224  MODE  OF  TEAPPING  THE  GIKAFFE. 

As  far  as  is  at  present  known,  the  Giraffe  is  a  silent  animal,  like  the 
eland  and  the  kangaroo,  and  has  never  been  heard  to  utter  a  sound, 
even  when  struggling  in  the  agonies  of  death.  When  in  its  native 
land,  it  is  so  strongly  perfumed  with  the  foliage  on  which  it  chiefly  feeds 
that  it  exhales  a  powerful  odor,  which  is  compared  by  Captain  Cum- 
niing  to  the  scent  of  a  hive  of  heather  honey. 

To  man  it  falls  an  easy  prey,  especially  if  it  can  be  kept  upon  level 
ground,  where  a  horse  can  run  without  danger.  On  rough  soil,  how- 
ever, the  Giraffe  has  by  far  the  advantage,  as  it  leaps  easily  over  the 
various  obstacles  that  lie  in  its  way,  and  gets  over  the  ground  in  a  cu- 
riously agile  manner.  It  is  not  a  very  swift  animal,  as  it  can  be  easily 
overtaken  by  a  horse  of  ordinary  speed,  and  is  frequently  run  down  by 
native  hunters  on  foot.  When  running,  it  progresses  in  a  very  awk- 
ward and  almost  ludicrous  manner,  by  a  series  of  frog-like  leaps,  its 
tail  switching  and  twisting  about  at  regular  intervals,  and  its  long 
neck  rocking  stiffly  up  and  down  in  a  manner  that  irresistibly  reminds 
the  observer  of  those  toy  birds  whose  head  and  tail  perform  alternate 
obeisances  by  the  swinging  of  a  weight  below.  As  the  tail  is  switched 
sharply  hither  and  thither,  the  tuft  of  the  bristly  hairs  at  the  extrem- 
ity makes  a  hissing  sound  as  it  passes  through  the  air. 

Besides  the  usual  mode  of  hunting  and  stalking,  the  natives  employ 
the  pitfall  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  this  large  and  valuable  an- 
imal. For  this  purpose  a  very  curiously-constructed  pit  is  dug,  being 
about  ten  feet  in  depth,  proportionately  wide,  and  having  a  wall  or 
bank  of  earth  extending  from  one  side  to  the  other,  and  about  six  or 
seven  feet  in  height.  When  the  Giraffe  is  caught  in  one  of  these  pits, 
its  fore-limbs  fall  on  one  side  of  the  wall  and  its  hind-legs  on  the  other, 
the  edge  of  the  wall  passing  under  the  abdomen.  The  poor  creature 
is  thus  balanced,  as  it  were,  upon  its  belly  across  the  wall,  and,  in  spite 
of  all  its  plunging,  is  unable  to  obtain  a  foothold  sufficiently  firm  to 
enable  it  to  leap  out  of  the  treacherous  cavity  into  which  it  has  fallen. 
The  pitfalls  which  are  intended  for  the  capture  of  the  hippopotamus 
and  the  rhinoceros  are  furnished  wnth  a  sharp  stake  at  the  bottom, 
which  impales  the  luckless  animal  as  it  falls ;  but  it  is  found  by  expe- 
rience that,  in  the  capture  of  the  Giraffe,  the  transverse  wall  is  even 
more  deadly  than  the  sharpened  spike. 

The  Giraffe  is  generally  found  in  little  herds,  sometimes  containing 
only  five  or  six,  and  sometimes  thirty  or  forty,  members,  the  average 
being  about  sixteen.  These  herds  are  always  found  either  in  or  very 
close  to  forests,  where  they  can  obtain  their  daily  food,  and  where  they 
can  be  concealed  from  their  enemies  among  the  tree-trunks,  to  which 
they  bear  so  close  a  resemblance. 

The  flesh  of  the  Giraffe  is  considered  to  be  good  when  rightly  pre- 
pared, and  its  marrow  is  thought  to  be  so  great  a  delicacy  that  the 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  DEER-HORNS. 


225 


natives  eagerly  suck  it  from  the  bones  as  they  are  taken  from  the  an- 
imal. When  cooked  it  is  worthy  of  a  place  on  a  royal  table.  The 
flesh  is  well  fitted  for  being  made  into  jerked-meat.  The  thick,  strong 
hide  is  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  shoe-soles,  shields,  and  similar 
articles. 

DEER. 

From  the  Antelope  the  Deer  are  readily  distinguished  by  the  cha- 
ncter  of  the  horns,  which  belong  only  to  the  male  animals,  are  com- 
posed of  solid  bony  substances,  and  are  shed  and  renewed  annually 
during  the  life  of  the  animal. 
The  process  by  which  the 
horns  are  developed,  die,  and 
are  shed  is  a  very  curious 
one,  and  deserves  a  short  no- 
tice before  we  proceed  to  con- 
sider the  various  species  of 
Deer  which  will  be  noticed 
in  the  present  work.  For  a 
familiar  instance  we  will  take 
the  common  Stag  or  Red  Deer 
of  'Europe. 

In  the  beginning  of  the 
month  of  March  he  is  lurk- 
ing in  the  sequestered  spots 
of  his  forest  home,  harmless 
as  his  mate  and  as  timorous.  The  Deer. 

Soon  a  pair  of  prominences  make  their  appearance  on  his  forehead, 
covered  with  a  velvety  skin.  In  a  few  days  these  little  prominences 
have  attained  some  length,  and  give  the  first  indication  of  their  true 
form.  Grasp  one  of  these  in  the  hand  and  it  will  be  found  burn- 
ing hot  to  the  touch,  for  the  blood  runs  fiercely  through  the  velvety 
skin,  depositing  at  every  touch  a  minute  portion  of  bony  matter.  More 
and  more  rapidly  grow  the  horns,  the  carotid  arteries  enlarging  in  order 
to  supply  a  sufficiency  of  nourishment,  and  in  the  short  period  of  ten 
weeks  the  enormous  mass  of  bony  matter  has  been  completed.  Such  a 
process  is  almost,  if  not  entirely,  without  parallel  in  the  history  of  the 
animal  kingdom. 

When  the  horns  have  reached  their  due  development,  the  bony  rings 
at  their  bases,  through  which  the  arteries  pass,  begin  to  thicken,  and  by 
gradually  filling  up  the  holes  compress  the  blood-vessels,  and  ultimately 
obliterate  them.  The  velvet,  now  having  no  more  nourishment,  loses 
its  vitality,  and  is  soon  rubbed  off*  in  shreds  against  tree-trunks,  branches, 
or  any  inanimate  object.     The  horns  fall  off  in  February,  and  in  a  very 


226 


THE  MOOSE. 


short  time  begin  to  be  renewed.  These  ornaments  are  very  variable  at 
the  different  periods  of  the  animal's  life,  the  nge  of  the  Stag  being  well 
indicated  by  the  number  of  "  tines  "  upon  its  horns. 


The  American  Elk  {Cervus  Canadensis). 

The  Moose  or  Elk  is  the  largest  of  all  the  Deer  tribe,  attaining  the 
extraordinary  height  of  seven  feet  at  the  shoulders,  thus  equalling 
many  an  ordinary  elephant  in  dimensions.  The  horns  of  this  animal 
are  very  large  and  widely  palmated  at  their  extremities,  their  united 
weight  being  so  great  as  to  excite  a  feeling  of  wonder  at  the  ability  of 
the  animal  to  carry  so  heavy  a  burden.  They  do  not  reach  their  full 
development  until  the  fourteenth  year.  The  muzzle  is  very  large  and 
is  much  lengthened  in  front,  so  as  to  impart  a  most  unique  expression 
to  the  Elk's  countenance.  The  color  of  the  animal  is  a  dark  brown, 
the  legs  being  washed  with  a  yellow  hue.  It  is  a  native  of  Northern 
Europe  and  America,  the  Moose  of  the  latter  continent  and  the  Elk 
of  the  former  being  one  and  the  same  species. 

As  the  flesh  of  the  Elk  is  palatable,  and  the  skin  and  the  horns  extreme- 
ly useful,  the  animal  is  much  persecuted  by  hunters.  It  is  a  swift  and  en- 
during animal,  although  its  gait  is  clumsy  and  awkward  in  the  extreme. 
The  only  pace  of  the  Elk  is  a  long,  swinging  trot ;  but  its  legs  are  so 
long  and  its  paces  so  considerable  that  its  speed  is  much  greater  than 
it  appears  to  be.     Obstacles  that  are  almost  impassable  to  a  horse  are 


THE  MOOSE. 


227 


passed  over  easily  by  the  Elk,  which  has  been  kDo^vn  to  trot  uninter- 
ruptedly over  a  number  of  fallen  tree-trunks,  some  of  them  five  feet  in 
thickness.  When  the  ground  is  hard  and  will  bear  the  weight  of  so 
large  an  animal,  the  hunters  are  led  a  very  long  and  severe  chase  before 
they  come  up  with  their  prey;  but  when  the  snow  lies  soft  and  thick  on 
the  ground,  the  creature  soon  succumbs  to  its  lighter  antagonists,  who 
supply  themselves  with  snow-shoes  and  scud  over  the  soft  snow  with  a 
speed  that  speedily  overcomes  that  of  the  poor  Elk,  which  sinks  floun- 


The  Moose  or  Elk  {Afces  Makhis). 

dering  into  the  deep  snow-drifts  at  every  step,  and  is  soon  worn  out  by 
its  useless  efforts. 

It  is  as  wary  as  any  of  the  Deer  tribe,  being  alarmed  by  the  slightest 
sound  or  the  faintest  scent  that  gives  warning  of  an  enemy.  As  the 
Elk  trots  along  its  course  is  marked  by  a  succession  of  sharp  sounds, 
which  are  produced  by  the  snapping  of  the  cloven  hoofs,  which  separate 
at  every  step,  and  fall  together  as  the  animal  raises  its  foot  from  the 
ground. 

The  enormous  horns  form  no  barrier  to  his  progress  through  the 
woods,  for  when  the  Elk  runs  he  always  throws  his  horns  well  back 
upon  his  shoulders,  so  that  they  rather  assist  than  impede  him  in  tra- 
versing the  forest  glades.     The  Elk  is  a  capital  swimmer,  proceeding 


228 


THE  REINDEER. 


with  great  rapidity,  and  often  taking  to  the  water  for  its  own  amuse- 
ment. During  the  summer  months  of  the  year  it  spends  a  considerable 
portion  of  its  time  under  water,  its  nose  and  horn  being  the  only  parts 
of  its  form  which  appear  above  the  surface.  Even  the  very  young 
Moose  is  a  strong  and  fearless  swimmer. 

The  skin  of  the  Elk  is  extremely  thick,  and  has  been  manufactured 
into  clothing  that  would  resist  a  sword-blow  and  repel  an  ordinary 
pistol-ball.  The  flesh  is  sometimes  dressed  fresh,  but  is  generally 
smoked  like  haras,  and  is  much  esteemed.  The  large  muzzle  or  upper 
lip  is,  however,  the  principal  object  of  admiration  to  the  lovers  of  Elk- 
flesh,  and  is  said  to  he  rich  and  gelatinous  when  boiled,  resembling  the 
celebrated  green  fat  of  the  turtle. 

Two  varieties  of  the  Reindeer  inhabit  the  earth,  the  one  called 
the  Reindeer  being  placed  upon  the  northern  portions  of  Europe  and 
Asia,  and  the  other,  termed  the  Caribou,  being  restricted  to  North 
America. 

This  animal  is  very  variable  in  dimensions,  specimens  of  very  dif. 
ferent  height  being  in  the  British  Museum.     The  color  is  also  vari- 


The  Woodland  Caribou  {Edngi/er  caribou). 
able,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year.     In  winter  the  fur  is  long, 
and  of  a  grayish-brown  tint,  with  the  exception  of  the  neck,  hinder 


THE  REINDEER.  229 

quarters,  abdomen,  and  end  of  nose,  which  are  white.  In  the  summer 
the  gray-brown  hair  darkens  into  a  sooty  brown,  and  the  white  portions 
become  gray. 


The  Reindeer  { Tarandm  Rdngifer). 

The  Laplanders  place  their  chief  happiness  in  the  possession  of 
many  Reindeer,  which  are  to  them  the  only  representatives  of  wealth. 
Those  who  possess  a  herd  of  a  thousand  or  more  are  reckoned  among 
the  wealthy  of  their  country ;  those  who  own  only  a  few  hundreds  are 
considered  as  persons  of  respectability ;  while  those  who  possess  only 
forty  or  fifty  are  content  to  act  as  servants  to  their  richer  countrymen, 
and  to  merge  their  little  herds  in  those  of  their  employers.  In  the 
waste,  dry  parts  of  Lapland  grows  a  kind  of  white  lichen,  which  forms 
the  principal  food  of  the  Reindeer  during  winter,  and  is  therefore  high- 
ly prized  by  the  natives.  Although  this  lichen  may  be  deeply  covered 
with  snow,  the  Reindeer  is  taught  by  instinct  to  scrape  away  the  super- 
incumbent snow  with  its  head,  hoofs,  and  snout,  and  to  lay  bare  the 
welcome  food  that  lies  beneath.  Sometimes  the  surface  of  the  snow  is 
so  firmly  frozen  that  the  animal  can  make  no  impression ;  and  under 
these  circumstances  it  is  in  very  poor  case,  many  of  the  unfortunate 
creatures  dying  of  starvation,  and  the  others  being  much  reduced  in 
condition. 

The  Reindeer  is  extensively  employed  as  a  beast  of  draught  and 
carriage,  being  taught  to  draw  sledges  and  to  carry  men  or  packages 
upon  its  back.  Each  reindeer  can  draw  a  weight  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty,  or  even  three  hundred,  pounds,  its  pace  being  between  nine  and 
ten  miles  per  hour.  There  is,  however,  a  humane  law  which  prohibits 
20 


230 


THE  RED  DEEK. 


a  weight  of  more  than  one  hundred  and  ninety  pounds  upon  a  sledge, 
ur  one  hundred  and  thirty  upon  the  back.  It  is  a  very  enduring  an- 
imal, as  it  is  able  to  keep  up  this  rate  of  progress  for  twelve  or  more 
hours  together. 

The  eyes  of  the  Reindeer  are  very  quick,  and  his  hearing  is  also 
acute;  but  his  sense  of  smell  is  more  wonderfully  developed  than 
cither  of  the  other  senses. 

We  now  come  to  the  Deer  which  inhabit  the  warm  or  temperate 
regions  of  the  world,  and  which  include  the  greater  portion  of  the 
family. 

The  Stag  or  Red  Deer  is  spread  over  many  parts  of  Europe  and 
Asia,  and  is  indigenous  to  the  British  Islands,  where  it  stiU  lingers, 
though  in  vastly  reduced  numbers. 


The  Stag  or  Ked  Deer. 


In  the  olden  days  of  chivalry  and  Robin  Hood,  the  Red  Deer  were 
plentiful  in  every  forest,  and  especially  in  that  sylvan  chase  which  was 
made  by  the  exercise  of  royal  tyranny  at  the  expense  of  such  sorrow 


THE  RED  DEER. 


231 


and  suffering.  Even  in  the  New  Forest  itself  the  Red  Deer  is  seldom 
seen,  and  those  few  survivors  that  still  serve  as  relics  of  a  bygone  age 
are  scarcely  to  be  reckoned  as  living  in  a  wild  state,  and  approach 
nearly  to  the  serai-domesticated  condition  of  the  Fallow  Deer.  Many 
of  these  splendid  animals  are  preserved  in  parks  or  paddocks,  but 
they  no  more  roam  the  wide  forests  in  unquestioned  freedom.  In  Scot- 
land, however,  tlie  Red  Deer  are  still  to  be  found,  as  can  be  testified 
by  many  a  keen  hunter  of  the  present  day,  who  has  had  his  strength, 
craft,  and  coolness  thoroughly  tested  belore  he  could  lay  low  in  the 


The  Fallow  Deer  [Dama  Vulgaris). 

dust  the  magnificent  animal  whose  head  with  its  forest  of  horns  now 
graces  his  residence. 

The  great  speed  of  the  Stag  is  proverbial,  and  needs  no  mention.  It 
is  an  admirable  swimmer,  having  been  known  to  swim  for  a  distance 
of  six  or  seven  miles,  and  in  one  instance  a  Stag  landed  in  the  night  upon 
a  beach  which  he  could  not  have  reached  without  having  swum  for  a 
distance  of  ten  miles.  The  gallant  beast  was  discovered  by  some  dogs 
as  he  landed,  and,  being  chased  by  them  immediately  after  his  fatiguing 
aquatic  exploit,  w^as  overcome  by  exhaustion,  and  found  dead  on  the 
following  morning. 

The  color  of  the  Stag  varies  slightly  according  to  the  time  of  the 
year.  In  the  summer  the  coat  is  a  warm  reddish  brown,  but  in  the 
winter  the  ruddy  hue  becomes  gray.  The  hind-quarters  are  paler  than 
the  rest  of  the  fur.  The  young  Red  Deer  are  born  about  April,  and 
are  remarkable  for  the  variegated  appearance  of  their  fur,  which  is 
mottled  with  white  upon  the  back  and  sides.  As  the  little  creatures 
increase  in  dimensions,  the  white  marking  gradually  fades,  and  the  fur 
assumes  the  uniform  reddish  brown  of  the  adult  animal. 


232 


THE  FALLOW  DEER. 


The  Fallow  Deer  may  readily  be  distinguished  from  the  stag 
by  the  spotted  coat,  the  smaller  size,  and  the  spreading,  palmated 
horns. 

The  color  of  the  Fallow  Deer  is  generally  of  a  reddish  brown,  spot- 
ted with  white,  and  with  two  or  three  white  lines  upon  the  body.  There 
is,  however,  another  variety,  which  scarcely  exhibits  any  of  the  white 
spots,  and  is  of  a  deep  blackish  brown. 

It  is  from  the  Fallow  Deer  that  the  best  venison  is  procured,  that  of 
the  stag  being  comparatively  hard  and  dry.     The  skin  is  well  known 


The  Axis  Deer  {Axis  maculata). 

as  furnishing  a  valuable  leather,  and  the  horns  are  manufactured  into 
fenife-handles  and  other  articles  of  common  use.     The  shavings  of  the 


THE  AXIS  DEER  AND  THE  ROEBUCK. 


233 


horns  are  employed  for  the  purpose  of  making  ammonia,  which  has 
therefore  long  been  popularly  known  under  the  name  of  hartshorn. 
The  height  of  the  adult  Fallow  Deer  is  three  feet  at  the  shoulders.  It 
is  a  docile  animal,  and  can  readily  be  tamed.  Indeed,  it  often  needs 
no  taming,  but  becomes  quite  familiar  with  strangers  in  a  very  short 
time,  especially  if  they  should  happen  to  have  any  fruit,  bread,  or  bis- 
cuit, and  be  willing  to  impart  some  of  their  provisions  to  their  dappled 
friends. 

The  well-known  Axis,  Chittra,  or  Spotted  Hog  Deer,  of  India 
and  Ceylon,  belongs  to  the  Rusine  Deer. 

The  horns,  like  those  of  the  sambur,  a  common  Indian  Deer,  are 
placed  on  long  footstalks  and  simply  forked  at  their  tips.  The  color 
of  this  pretty  animal  is  rather  various,  but  is  generally  a  rich  golden 
brown,  with  a  dark-brown  stripe  along  the  back,  accompanied  by  two 
series  of  white  spots,  which  at  first  sight  appear  to  be  scattered  irreg- 
ularly, but  are  seen  on  a  careful  inspection  to  be  arranged  in  oblique 
curved  lines.  There  is  also  a  white  streak  across  the  haunches.  There 
are,  however,  many  varieties  of  the  Axis  Deer,  which  difier  in  size  as 
well  as  in  color.  The  height  of  the  adult  Axis  is  almost  equal  to  that 
of  the  Fallow  Deer. 

The  Roebuck  is  smaller  than  the  Fallow  Deer,  being  only  two  feet 
and  three  or  four  inches  in  height  at  the  shoulder,  but,  although  so 
small,  can  be  really  a 
formidable  animal,  on 
account  of  its  rapid 
movements  and  great 
comparative  strength. 

It  is  not  found  in  large 
herds  like  the  Fallow 
Deer,  but  is  strictly 
monogamous,  the  single 
pair  living  together,  con- 
tented with  each  other's 
society.  The  horns  of 
this  animal  have  no 
basal  snag,  and  rise 
straight  from  the  fore- 
head, throwing  out  one 

antler  in  front,  and  one  \\K'^v^\s'4  %• 

or  two  behind,  according  '^'^^  Roebuck  {Capreolus  Caprcea), 

to  the  age  of  the  individual.  From  the  base  of  the  horn  to  the  first 
antler  the  horn  is  thickly  covered  with  wrinkles.  It  is  a  most  active 
little  Deer,  always  preferring  the  highest  grounds,  thence  forming  a 
contrast  to  the  Fallow  Deer,  which  loves  the  plains.     It  is  seldom  seen 

20* 


234 


THE  MUSK  DEER. 


in  England  in  a  wild  state,  but  may  still  be  met  with  in  many  parts 
of  Scotland. 

The  color  of  the  Roebuck  is  very  variable,  but  is  generally  as  follows  : 
The  body  is  always  of  a  brown  tint  as  a  ground  hue,  worked  with  either 
red  or  gray,  or  remaining  simply  brown.  Round  the  root  of  the  tail  is 
a  patch  of  pure  white  hair,  and  the  abdomen  and  inside  of  the  limbs 
are  grayish  white.  The  chin  is  also  white,  and  there  is  a  white  spot  on 
each  side  of  the  lips. 

The  MoscHiNE  Deer  are  readily  known  by  the  absence  of  horns  in 
both  sexes,  the  extremely  long  canine  teeth  of  the  upper  jaw  in  the 
males,  and  the  powerfully  odorous  secretion  in  one  of  the  species,  from 
which  they  derive  their  popular  as  well  as  their  scientific  title.  There 
are  at  least  eight  or  nine  species  of  these  curious  animals. 

The  most  celebrated  of  these  little  Deer  is  the  common  MrsK  Deer, 
which  is  a  native  of  the  northern  parts  of  India,  and  is  found  spread 

throughout  a  very  large  range 
of  country,  always  preferring 
the  cold  and  elevated  moun- 
tainous regions.  The  height 
of  the  adult  Musk  Deer  is 
about  two  feet  three  inches  at 
the  shoulders;  the  color  is  a 
light  brown,  marked  with  a 
shade  of  grayish  yellow.  In- 
habiting the  rocky  and  moun- 
tainous locations  of  its  native 
The  Mush  Deer  {Moschus  Moschifcrvs).  home,  it  is  remarkably  active 
and  sure-footed,  rivalling  even  the  chamois  or  the  goat  in  the  agility 
with  which  it  can  ascend  or  descend  the  most  fearful  precipices.  The 
great  length  of  the  false  hoofs  adds  much  to  the  security  of  the  Musk 
Deer's  footing  upon  the  crags. 

It  is  only  in  the  male  that  the  long  tusks  are  seen,  and  that  the  per- 
fume called  musk  is  secreted.  The  tusks  are  sometimes  as  much  as 
three  inches  in  length,  and  therefore  project  considerably  beyond  the 
jaw.  In  shape  they  are  compressed,  pointed,  and  rather  sharp-edged. 
The  natives  say  that  their  principal  use  is  in  digging  up  the  kastoree 
plant,  a  kind  of  subterranean  bulb  on  which  the  Musk  Deer  feeds,  and 
which  imparts  the  peculiar  perfume  to  the  odorous  secretion.  The 
musk  is  produced  in  a  glandular  pouch  placed  in  the  abdomen,  and 
when  the  animal  is  killed  for  the  sake  of  this  treasure,  the  musk-bag 
is  carefully  removed,  so  as  to  defend  its  precious  contents  from  exposure 
to  the  air.  When  recently  taken  from  the  animal,  the  musk  is  of  so 
powerful  an  odor  as  to  cause  headache  to  those  who  inhale  its  over- 
powering fragrance.      The  affluence  of  perfume  that  resides  in  the 


THE  KANCHIL  AND  THE  CAMEL.  235 

musk  is  almost  incredible,  for  a  small  piece  of  this  wonderful  secretion 
may  remain  in  a  room  for  many  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time 
will  give  forth  au  odor  which  is  apparently  not  the  least  diminished 
by  time. 

Another  member  of  the  Moschine  group  is  the  Kanchil,  or  Pigmy 
Musk  (Trdgulus  Pygmceus),  a  deer  which  is  found  in  the  Asiatic  islands, 
and  which  is  as  celebrated  for  its  cunning  as  is  the  fox  among  ourselves. 

This  animal  is  not  nearly  so  large  as  the  Musk  Deer,  and,  although 
somewhat  similar  in  color,  may  be  disting4.iished  by  a  broad  black 
stripe  which  runs  along  the  back  of  the  neck  and  forms  a  wide  band 
across  the  chest.  Instead  of  living  in  the  cold  and  lofty  mountain- 
ranges  which  are  inhabited  by  the  Musk  Deer,  the  Kanchil  prefers 
the  thickly-wooded  districts  of  the  Javanese  forests.  Like  many 
other  animals,  the  Kanchil  is  given  to  " 'possuming,"  or  feigning 
death,  when  it  is  taken  in  a  noose  or  trap,  and  as  soon  as  the  suc- 
cessful hunter  releases  the  clever  actor  from  the  retaining  cord,  it 
leaps  upon  its  feet  and  darts  away  before  he  has  recovered  from  his 
surprise. 

From  the  earliest  times  that  are  recorded  in  history,  the  Camel  is 
mentioned  as  one  of  the  animals  which  are  totally  subject  to  the  sway 
of  man,  and  which  in  Eastern  countries  contribute  so  much  to  the 
wealth  and  influence  of  their  owners. 

There  are  two  species  of  Camel  acknowledged  by  zoologists — namely, 
the  common  Camel  of  Arabia,  which  has  but  one  hump,  and  the 
Mecheri,  or  Bactrian  Camel,  which  possesses  two  of  these  curious 
appendages. 

As  the  animal  is  intended  to  traverse  the  parched  sand-plains,  and 
to  pass  several  consecutive  days  without  the  possibility  of  obtaining 
liquid  nourishment,  there  is  an  internal  structure  which  permits  it  to 
store  up  a  considerable  amount  of  water  for  future  use.  For  this 
purpose  the  honeycomb-cells  of  the  "  reticulum"  are  largely  develop- 
ed, and  are  enabled  to  receive  and  to  retain  the  water  which  is  received 
into  the  stomach  after  the  natural  thirst  of  the  animal  has  been  supplied. 
After  a  Camel  has  been  accustomed  to  journeying  across  the  hot  and 
arid  sand  wastes,  it  learns  wisdom  by  experience,  and  contrives  to  lay 
by  a  much  greater  supply  of  water  than  would  be  accumulated  by  a 
young  and  untried  animal.  It  is  supposed  that  the  Camel  is  able  in 
some  way  to  dilate  the  honeycomb-cells,  and  to  force  them  to  receive  a 
larger  quantity  of  the  priceless  liquid. 

A  large  and  experienced  Camel  will  receive  five  or  six  quarts  of 
water  into  its  stomach,  and  is  enabled  to  exist  for  as  many  days  with- 
out needing  to  drink.  Aided  by  this  internal  supply  of  water,  the 
Camel  can  satiate  it^  hunger  by  browsing  on  the  hard  and  withered 
thorns  that  are  found  scattered  thinly  through  the  deserts,  and  suffers 


236 


THE  CAMEL. 


no  injury  to  its  palate  from  their  iron-like  spears,  that  would  direfully 
wound  the  mouth  of  any  more  sensitive  creature.  The  Camel  has  been 
known  to  eat  even  pieces  of  dry  wood,  and  to  derive  apparent  satisfac- 
tion from  its  strange  meal. 

The  feet  of  the  Camel  are  well  adapted  for  walking  upon  the  loose, 
dry  sand,  than  which  substance  there  is  no  more  uncertain  footing. 
The  toes  are  very  broad,  and  are  furnished  with  soft,  wide  cushions, 
that  present  a  considerable  surface  to  the  loose  soil,  and  enable  the 


The  Camel  {Camelus  Ardbicus). 

animal  to  maintain  a  firm  hold  upon  the  shifting  sands.  As  the  Camel 
is  constantly  forced  to  kneel  in  order  to  be  loaded  or  relieved  of  its 
burden,  it  is  furnished  upon  the  knees  and  breast  with  thick  callous 
pads,  which  support  its  weight  without  injuring  the  skin.  Thus  fitted 
by  nature  for  its  strange  life,  the  Camel  faces  the  desert  sands  with 
boldness,  and  traverses  the  arid  regions  with  an  ease  and  quiet  celerity 
that  has  gained  for  the  creature  the  title  of  "  Ship  of  the  Desert." 

The  Camel  is  invariably  employed  as  an  animal  of  carriage  when 
in  its  native  land,  and  is  able  to  support  a  load  of  five  or  six  hundred 
pounds'  weight  without  being  overtaxed. 

The  pace  of  the  Camel  is  not  nearly  so  rapid  as  is  generally  sup- 
posed, and  even  the  speed  of  the  Heirie,  or  swift  Camel,  has  been 
greatly  exaggerated. 

The  speed  of  the  Heirie  is  seldom  more  than  *eight  or  ten  miles  per 


THE  BACTRIAN  CAMEL.  237 

hour,  but  the  endurance  of  the  animal  is  so  wonderful  that  it  is  able  to 
keep  up  this  pace  for  twenty  hours  without  stopping. 

The  "  hump  "  of  the  Camel  is  a  very  curious  part  of  its  structure, 
and  is  of  great  importance  in  the  eyes  of  the  Arabs,  who  judge  of  the 
condition  of  their  beasts  by  the  size,  shape,  and  firmness  of  the  hump. 
They  say,  and  truly,  that  the  Camel  feeds  upon  his  hump  ;  for  in  pro- 
portion as  the  animal  traverses  the  sandy  wastes  of  desert  lands,  and 
suffers  from  privation  and  fatigue,  the  hump  diminishes.  At  the  end 
of  a  long  and  painful  journey  the  hump  will  often  nearly  vanish,  and  it 
cannot  be  restored  to  its  pristine  form  until  the  animal  has  undergone 
a  long  course  of  good  feeding.  When  an  Arab  is  about  to  set  forth  on 
a  desert  journey,  he  pays  great  attention  to  the  humps  of  his  Camels, 
aud  watches  them  with  jealous  care. 

Independently  of  its  value  as  a  beast  of  burden,  the  Camel  is  most 
precious  to  its  owners,  as  it  supplies  them  with  food  and  clothing.  Its 
milk  mixed  with  meal  is  a  favorite  dish  among  the  children  of  the 
desert,  and  is  sometimes  purposely  kept  until  it  is  sour,  in  which  state 
it  is  very  grateful  to  the  Arab  palate,  but  especially  nauseous  to  that 
of  an  European.  The  Arabs  think  that  any  man  is  sadly  devoid  of 
taste  who  prefers  the  sweet  new  milk  to  that  which  has  been  mellowed 
by  time.  A  kind  of  very  rancid  butter  is  churned  from  the  cream  by 
a  remarkably  simple  process,  consisting  of  pouring  the  cream  into  a 
goatskin  sack  and  shaking  it  constantly  until  the  butter  is  formed. 

The  long  hair  of  the  Camel  is  spun  into  a  coarse  thread,  and  is  em- 
ployed in  the  manufacture  of  broadcloths  and  similar  articles.  At  cer- 
tain times  of  the  year  the  Camel  sheds  its  hair,  in  order  to  replace  its 
old  coat  by  a  new  one,  and  the  Arabs  avail  themselves  of  the  looseness 
with  which  the  hair  is  at  these  times  adherent  to  the  skin  to  pluck  it 
away  without  injuring  the  animal. 

The  height  of  an  ordinary  Camel  at  the  shoulder  is  about  six  or 
seven  feet,  and  its  color  is  a  light  brown,  of  various  depths  in  different 
individuals,  some  specimens  being  nearly  black,  and  others  almost  white. 
The  Dromedary  is  the  lighter  breed  of  Camel,  and  is  used  chiefly  for 
riding,  while  the  ordinary  Camel  is  employed  as  a  beast  of  burden. 
Between  the  two  animals  there  is  about  the  same  difference  as  between 
a  drayhorse  aud  a  hunter,  the  Heirie  being  analogous  to  the  racehorse. 

The  Bactrtan  Camel  is  readily  to  be  distinguished  from  the  ordi- 
nary Camel  by  the  double  hump  which  it  bears  on  its  back,  and  which 
is  precisely  analogous  in  its  structure  and  office  to  that  of  the  Arabian 
Camel. 

The  general  formation  of  this  animal,  its  lofty  neck,  raising  its  head 
high  above  the  solar  radiations  from  the  heated  ground,  its  valve-like 
nostrils,  that  close  involuntarily  if  a  grain  of  drifting  sand  should  in- 
vade their  precincts,  its  wide  cushion-like  feet,  and  its  powers  of  absti- 


238 


THE  VICUGNA. 


nence  pr{3ve  that,  like  its  Arabian  relative,  it  is  intended  for  the  pur- 
pose of  traversing  vast  deserts  without  needing  refreshment  on  the  way. 
This  species  is  spread  througli  Central  Asia,  Thibet,  and  China,  and  is 

domesticated  through  a 
large  portion  of  the 
world.  It  is  not  so  en- 
during an  animal  as 
the  Arabian  species,  re- 
quiring a  fresh  supply 
of  liquid  eveiy  three 
days ;  while  the  Ara- 
bian Camel  can  exist 
without  water  for  five, 
or  even  six,  days. 

The  height  of  the 
Bactrian  Camel  is 
rather  more  than  that 
of  the  Arabian  spe- 
cies, and  its  color  is 
generally  brown,  which 
sometimes  deepens  into 
sooty  black,  and  some- 
times fades  into  a  dirty 
white. 

The  true  Camels  are 
exclusively  confined  to 
the  Old  World,  but  find 
representatives  in  the  New  World  in  four  acknowledged  species  of 
the  genus  Llama. 

These  animals  are  comparatively  small  in  their  dimensions,  and  pos- 
sess no  hump,  so  that  they  may  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  Camels. 
Their  hair  is  very  woolly,  and  their  countenance  has  a  very  sheep-like 
expression,  so  that  a  full-haired  Llama  instantly  reminds  the  spectator 
of  a  long-legged,  long-necked  sheep.  The  feet  of  the  Llamas  are  very 
different  from  those  of  the  camels,  as  their  haunts  are  always  found  to 
be  upon  rocky  ground,  and  their  feet  must  of  necessity  be  accommodated 
to  the  soil  on  which  they  are  accustomed  to  tread.  The  toes  of  the 
Llama  are  completely  divided,  and  are  each  furnished  with  a  rough 
cushion  beneath,  and  a  strong,  claw-like  hoof  above,  so  that  the  mem- 
ber may  take  a  firm  hold  of  rocky  and  uneven  ground. 

Four  species  of  Llamas  are  now  acknowledged — namely,  the  Vicugna, 
the  Guanaco,  the  Yamma,  and  the  Alpaca. 

The  Vicugna  is  found  in  the  most  elevated  localities  of  Batavia  and 
Northern  Chili,  and  is  a  very  wild  and  untamable  animal,  having  re- 


The  Bactrian  Camel  {Camelus  Bactridnus). 


THE  GUANA  CO. 


239 


sisted  all  the  attempts  of  the  patient  natives  to  reduce  it  to  a  state  of 
domestication.  It  is  extremely  active  and  sure-footed  in  its  mountain 
home,  and,  being  equally  timid  and  wary,  is  seldom  captured  in  a  living 
state.  It  lives  in  herds  near  the  region  of  perpetual  snow,  and  in  its 
habits  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  chamois.  The  short,  soft,  silken 
fur  of  this  animal  is  very  valuable.  The  color  of  the  Vicugna  is  a 
nearly  uniform  brown,  tinged  with  yellow  on  the  back,  and  fading 


The  LtvAma. 

into  gray  on  the  abdomen.  Its  height  at  the  shoulder  is  about  two 
feet  six  inches. 

The  GuANACO  is  spread  over  a  very  wide  range  of  country,  extend- 
ing over  the  whole  of  the  temperate  regions  of  Patagonia.  The  color 
of  this  species  is  a  reddish  brown,  the  ears  and  hind-legs  gray.  The 
neck  is  long  in  comparison  with  the  size  of  the  body,  and  the  height  at 
the  shoulder  is  about  three  feet  six  inches. 

The  Guanaco  lives  in  herds  varying  from  ten  to  thirty  or  forty,  but 
is  sometifnes  seen  in  flocks  of  much  greater  numbers,  resembling  sheep 
not  only  in  their  gregarious  habits,  but  in  the  implicit  obedience  with 
which  they  rely  upon  their  leader.  Should  they  be  deprived  of  his 
guardianship,  they  become  so  bewildered  that  they  run  aimlessly  from 
spot  to  spot,  and  can  easily  be  destroyed  by  experienced  hunters. 


240 


THE  YAMMA  AND  THE  ALPACA. 


The  Guanaco  is  wonderfully  sure-footed  upon  rocky  ground,  and  is 
also  a  good  swimmer,  taking  voluntarily  to  the  water,  and  swimming 
from  one  island  to  another.  When  near  the  sea  it  will  drink  the  salt 
water,  and  has  often  been  observed  in  the  act  of  drinking  the  briny 
waters  of  certain  salt  springs. 

The  Yamma,  or  Llama,  is  of  a  brown  or  variegated  color,  and  its 
legs  are  long  and  slender.  In  former  days  this  animal  was  the 
only  beast  of  burden  which  was  possessed  by  the  natives,  and  it  was 
largely  used  by  the  Spaniards  (who  described  it  as  a  sheep)  for  the 
same  purpose.     It  is  able  to  carry  a  weight  of  one  hundred  pounds, 


The  Alpaca  Llama  {Llama  Pacos). 

and  to  traverse  about  fourteen  or  fifteen  miles  per  diem.  As  a  beast 
of  burden  it  is  now  being  rapidly  supplanted  by  the  ass,  while  the 
European  sheep  is  gradually  taking  its  place  as  a  wool-bearer.  The 
flesh  of  the  Llama  is  dark  and  coarse,  and  is  accordingly  held  in  bad 
repute. 

The  Alpaca,  or  Paco,  is,  together  with  the  last  animal,  supposed 
by  several  zoologists  to  be  only  a  domesticated  variety  of  the  Guanaco. 
Its  color  is  generally  black,  but  is  often  variegated  with  brown  and 
white.  The  wool  of  this  species  is  long,  soft,  silky,  and  extremely  vab 
uable  in  the  commercial  w^orld. 


HORSES. 

The  Horse  has  from  time  immemorial  been  made  the  companion 
and  servant  of  man,  and  its  original  progenitors  are  unknown.     It  is 


THE  ARAB  HORSE. 


241 


supposed,  however,  that  the  Horse  must  have  derived  its  origin  from 
Central  Asia,  and  from  thence  have  spread  to  almost  every  portion  of 
the  globe. 

The  elegant,  swift,  and  withal  powerful,  Horses  of  which  England  is 
so  proud,  and  which  are  employed  in  the  chase  or  the  course,  owe  their 
best  qualities  to  the  judicious  admixture  of  the  Arabian  blood.  The 
Arab  Horse  has  long  been  celebrated  for  its  swift  limbs,  exquisite 
form,  and  affectionate  disposition. 

There  are  several  breeds  of  Arab  horses,  only  one  of  which  is  of 
very  great  value.     This  variety,  termed  the  Kochlani,  is  so  highly 


The  Arab  Horse  in  his  Native  Plains. 

prized  that  a  mare  of  the  pure  breed  can  hardly  be  procured  at  any 
cost,  and  even  the  male  animal  is  not  easy  of  attainment.  The  ped- 
igree of  these  Horses  is  carefully  preserved,  and  written  in  most  florid 
terms  upon  parchment.  In  some  cases  the  genealogy  is  said  to  extend 
for  nearly  two  thousand  years.  The  body  of  the  Arab  Horse  is  very 
light,  its  neck  long  and  arched,  its  eye  full  and  soft,  and  its  limbs  del- 
icate and, slender.  The  temper  of  the  animal  is  remarkably  sweet, 
for,  as  it  has  been  born  and  bred  among  the  family  of  its  owner,  even 
the  little  children  that  roll  about  among  its  legs  are  as  carefully  shield- 
ed from  injury  as  though  they  were  its  own  offspring.  So  attached  to 
its  owner  is  this  beautiful  Horse  that  if  he  should  be  thrown  from  its 

21  Q 


242 


THE  RACEHORSE. 


back,  the  aoimal  will  stand  quietly  by  its  prostrate  master  aod  wait 
until  he  gains  strength  to  remount. 

The  training  of  the  Kochlani  is  not  so  severe  as  is  generally  imag- 
ined, for  the  presence  of  water  and  abundant  pasturage  is  absolutely 
necessary  in  order  to  rear  the  animal  in  a  proper  manner.  Not  until 
the  strength  and  muscles  of  the  animal  are  developed  is  a  trial  per- 
mitted, and  then  it  is  truly  a  terrible  one.  When  the  mare — for  the 
male  animal  is  never  ridden  by  the  Arabs — has  attained  her  full  de- 
velopment, she  is  mounted  for  the  first  time,  and  ridden  at  full  speed 
for  fifty  or  sixty  miles  without  respite.  Hot  and  fainting,  she  is  then 
forced  into  deep  water,  which  compels  her  to  swim,  and  if  she  does 
not  feed  freely  immediately  after  this  terrific  trial,  she  is  rejected  as 
unworthy  of  being  reckoned  among  the  true  Kochlani. 

For  the  animals  which  will  stand  this  terrible  test  the  Arab  has  al- 
most an  idolatrous  regard,  and  will  ofttimes  spare  an  enemy  merely  on 
account  of  his  steed. 

The  Racehorse  of  England  is  perhaps,  with  the  exception  of  the 
foxhound,  the  most  admirable  example  of  the  perfection  to   which 


Saunterer,  an  English  Racehorse. 

a  domesticated   animal    can   be  brought   by   careful    breeding   and 
training. 


KIND  TEEATMENT  A  NECESSITY.  243 

"Whatever  may  have  been  its  original  source,  the  Racer  has  been 
greatly  improved  by  the  mixture  of  Arab  blood,  through  the  means 
of  the  Godolphin  and  Darley  Arabians.  The  celebrated  horse  Eclipse 
was  a  descendant,  on  the  mother's  side,  of  the  Godolphin  Arabian,  that 
wonderful  animal  which  was  rescued  from  drawing  a  cart  in  Paris,  and 
which  was  afterwards  destined  to  play  so  important  a  part  in  regener- 
ating the  breed  of  English  Racers.  He  was  also  descended,  on  his 
father's  side,  from   the  Darley  Arabian. 

The  best-bred  Horses  are  generally  the  most  affectionate  and  docile, 
although  their  spirit  is  very  high  and  their  temper  hot  and  quick. 
There  are  few  animals  which  are  more  affectionate  than  a  Horse, 
which  seems  to  feel  a  necessity  for  attachment;  and  if  his  sympathies 
be  not  aroused  by  human  means,  he  will  make  friends  with  the  near- 
est living  being.  Cats  are  great  favorites  with  Horses,  and  even  the 
famous  Chillaby — called,  from  his  ferocity,  the  Mad  Arabian — had 
his  little  friend  in  the  shape  of  a  lamb,  which  would  take  any  lib- 
erties with  him,  and  was  accustomed  to  butt  at  tlie  flies  as  they  came 
too  near  his  strange  ally.  The  Godolphin  Arabian  was  also  strongly 
attached  to  a  cat,  which  usually  sat  on  his  back  or  nestled  in  the  man- 
ger. When  he  died  the  cat  pined  away,  and  soon  followed  her  loved 
friend. 

These  examples  are  sufficient  to  show  that  the  ferocity  of  these  an- 
imals was  caused  by  the  neglect  or  ignorance  of  their  human  associates, 
who  either  did  not  know  how  to  arouse  the  affectionate  feelings  of  the 
animal  or  brutally  despised  and  crushed  them.  The  Horse  is  a  much 
more  intellectual  animal  than  is  generally  supposed,  as  will  be  acknow- 
ledged by  any  one  who  has  possessed  a  fiivorite  Horse  and  treated  it  with 
uniform  kindness. 

There  is  no  need  for  wliip  or  spur  when  the  rider  and  steed  under- 
stand each  other,  and  the  bridle  is  reduced  almost  to  a  mere  form,  as 
the  touch  of  a  finger  or  the  tone  of  a  voice  js  sufficient  to  direct  the 
animal.  We  are  all  familiar  with  the  elephantine  drayhorses  that 
march  so  majestically  along  with  their  load  of  casks,  and  which  instan- 
taneously obey  the  singular  sounds  which  continually  issue  from  the 
throats  of  their  conductors,  and  back,  stop,  advance,  or  turn  to  the 
right  or  left,  without  requiring  the  touch  of  a  rein  or  the  blow  of  a 
whip.  The  infliction  of  pain  is  a  clumsy  and  a  barbarous  manner  of 
guiding  a  Horse,  and  we  shall  never  reap  the  full  value  of  the  animal' 
until  we  have  learned  to  respect  its  feelings,  and  to  shun  the  infliction 
of  torture  as  a  brutal,  a  cowardly,  and  an  unnecessary  act.  To  mal- 
treat a  child  is  always  held  to  be  a  dastardly  and  unmanly  act,  and  it 
is  equally  cow^ardly  and  unworthy  of  the  human  character  to  maltreat 
a  poor  animal  which  has  no  possibility  of  revenge,  no  hope  of  redress, 
and   no  words  to  make  its  wrongs  known.      Pain  is  pain,  whether 


244 


SUCCESS  OF  KAREY'S  METHOD. 


inflicted  on  man  or  beast,  and  we  are  equally  responsible  in  either 

case. 

As  an  unprejudiced  observer,  with  no  purpose  to  serve,  and  without 
bias  in  either  direction,  I  cannot  here  refrain  from  observing  that  Mr. 
Rarey's  method  of  bringing  the  Horse  under  subjection  is  a  considerable 
step  in  the  right  direction,  and  a  very  great  improvement  on  the  cruel 
and  savage  method  which  is  so  often  employed  by  coarse  and  ignorant 
men,  and  truly  called  "  breaking."  Having  repeatedly  witnessed  the 
successful  operations  of  that  gentleman  in  subduing  Horses  that  had 
previously  defied  all  eiforts,  I  cannot  be  persuaded  that  it  is  a  cruel 
process.     The  method  by  which  it  is  achieved  is  now  sufficiently  famil- 


Floea  Temple,  an  American  Trotting-horse. 

iar,  and  I  will  only  observe  that  the  idea  is  a  true  and  philosophical 
one.  The  Horse  is  mostly  fierce  because  it  is  nervous,  and  bites  and 
kicks,  not  because  it  is  enraged,  but  because  it  is  alarmed.  Restore 
confidence,  and  the  creature  becomes  quiet,  without  any  desire  to  use 
its  hoofs  and  teeth  in  an  aggressive  manner.  It  is  clearly  impossible 
to  do  so  as  long  as  the  animal  is  at  liberty  to  annihilate  its  teacher, 
and  the  strap  is  only  used  until  the  Horse  is  convinced  that  the  presence 
of  a  human  form  or  the  touch  of  a  human  hand  has  nothing  of  the 
terrible  in  it.     Confidence  soon  takes  the  place  of  fear,  and  the  animal 


THE  SHETLAND  PONY  AND  THE    DOMESTIC  ASS. 


245 


seems  to  receive  its  teacher  at  once  into  its  good  graces,  following  him 
like  a  dog,  and  rubbing  its  nose  against  his  shoulder. 

Several  breeds  of  partially  wild  Horses  are  still  found  in  the  British 
Islands,  the  best  known  of  which  is  the  Shetland  Pony. 

This  odd,  quaint,  spirited  little  animal  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  islands 
at  the  northern  extremity  of  Scotland,  where  it  runs  wild,  and  may  be 
owned  by  any  one  who  can  catch  and  hold  it.  Considering  its  dimin- 
utive proportions,  which  average  only  seven  or  eight  hands  in  height, 
the  Sheltie  is  wonderfully  strong,  and  can  trot  away  quite  easily  with 
a  tolerably  heavy  man  on  its  back.  One  of  these  little  creatures  carried 
a  man  of  twelve  stone  weight  for  a  distance  of  forty  miles  in  a  single 
day.  The  head  of  this  little  animal  is  small,  the  neck  short  and  well 
arched,  and  covered  with  an  abundance  of  heavy  mane,  that  falls  over 
the  face  and  irresistibly  reminds  the  spectator  of  a  Skye  terrier.  It  is 
an  admirable  draught-horse  when  harnessed  to  a  carriage  of  proportion- 
ate size ;  and  a  pair  of  these  spirited  little  creatures,  w  hen  attached 
to  a  lady's  low  carriage,  have  a  remarkably  piquant  and  pretty 
appearance. 

Man  has  so  lonjr  held  the  Domestic  Ass  under  his  control  that  its 
original  progenitors  have  entirely  disappeared  from  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

There  are,  as  it  is  well  known,  abundant  examples  of  wild  Asses 
found  in  various  lands,  but  it  seems  that  these  animals  are  either  the 
descendants  of  domesti- 
cated Asses  which  have 
escaped  from  captivity, 
or  the  offspring  of  wild 
and  domesticated  an- 
imals. In  size  and  gen- 
eral appearance  the  Ass 
varies  greatly,  according 
to  the  country  which  it 
inhabits  and  the  treat- 
ment to  which  it  is  sub- 
jected. The  Spanish 
kind,  for  example,  is 
double  the  size  of  the 
ordinary  English  Ass, 
and  even  the  latter  an- 
imal is  extremely  vari- 
able in  stature  and  general  dimensions.  As  a  rule,  the  Ass  is  large 
and  sleek-haired  in  warm  countries,  and  small  and  woolly-haired  in 
the  colder  parts  of  the  globe. 

Strong,  sure-footed,  hardy,  and  easily  maintained,  the  Ass  is  of  infi- 
21  * 


The  Ass  (Asinvs  vulgaris). 


246  THE  DZIGGETAI. 

iiite  use  to  the  poorer  classes  of  the  community,  who  Deed  the  services 
of  a  beast  of  burden  and  cannot  afford  to  purchase  or  keep  so  expensive 
an  animal  as  a  horse. 

It  is  a  very  great  mistake  to  employ  the  name  of  Ass  or  donkey  as  a 
metaphor  for  stupidity,  for  the  Ass  is  truly  one  of  the  cleverest  of  our 
domesticated  animals,  and  will  lose  no  opportunity  of  displaying  his 
capability  whenever  his  intelligence  is  allowed  to  expand  by  being 
freed  from  the  crushing  toil  and  the  constant  pain  that  are  too  often 
the  concomitants  of  a  donkey's  life.  Every  one  who  has  petted  a 
favorite  donkey  will  remember  many  traits  of  its  mental  capacities ; 
for,  as  in  the  case  of  the  domestic  fool  of  the  olden  days,  there  is  far 
more  knavery  than  folly  about  the  creature. 

In  the  East  the  Ass  is  used  even  more  extensively  than  in  Europe, 
and  is  generally  employed  for  carrying  burdens  or  for  the  saddle,  the 
horse  being  used  more  for  ostentation  or  for  warfare  than  for  the  mere 
conveyance  of  human  beings  from  one  spot  to  another. 

The  color  of  the  Ass  is  a  uniform  gray,  a  dark  streak  passing  along 
the  spine,  and  another  stripe  being  drawn  transversely  across  the  shoul- 
ders. In  the  quagga  and  zebra  these  stripes  are  much  more  extended. 
The  Wild  Asses  are  all  celebrated  for  their  extreme  fleetiiess  and 
sureness  of  foot,  and  among  them  the  Dziggetai,  Khur,  or  Koulan 
deserves  especial  mention. 

This  animal  is  so  wonderfully  swift  that  it  cannot  be  overtaken  even 
by  a  fleet  Arabian  horse,  and  if  it  can  get  upon  hilly  or  rocky  ground, 
_  it   bids  defiance  to    all   wingless   enemies. 

Not  even  the  greyhound  can  follow  it  with 
any  hope  of   success  when  it  once  leaves 
level  ground.     This  great  speed  renders  it 
a  favorite  object    of   chase  with   the  na- 
tives   of    the  country   which    it    inhabits, 
and,  whether  in  Persia  or  India,  it  is  held 
to  be  the  noblest  of -game.     Sometimes  the 
falcon  is  trained  to  aid  in  the  chase  of  the 
(S:i  Z^j™       Wild  Ass,  but  the  usual  method  of  secur- 
ing  this  animal  is  to  drive  it  toward  rocky 
ground,  and  to  kill  it  with  a  rifle  bullet  as  it  stands  in  fancied  security 
upon  some  lofty  crag. 

It  lives  in  troops,  descending  to  the  plains  during  the  winter  months, 
and  returning  to  the  cooler  hills  as  soon  as  the  summer  begins  to  be  un- 
pleasantly warm. 

It  is  very  common  in  Mesopotamia,  and  is  always  a  most  shy  and 
wary  as  well  as  swift  animal.  Each  troop  is  under  the  command  of  a 
leader,  who  sways  his  subjects  with  unlimited  authority,  and  takes  upon 
himself  to  make  all  needful  arrangements  for  their  welfare. 


THE  KIANG,  THE  QUAGOA,  AND  THE  ZEBRA. 


247 


The  color  of  this  animal  is  pale  reddish  brown  in  the  summer,  fading 
into  a  gray-brown  in  the  winter,  and  marked  with  a  black  stripe  along 
the  spine,  becoming  wider  upon  the  middle  of  the  back. 

Another  species  of  Wild  Ass  is  the  Kiang,  or  Wild  Ass  of  Thibet, 
sometimes,  but  erroneously,  called  the  Wild  Horse  of  Thibet,  because  its 
noise  resembles  the  neighing  of  that  animal  rather  than  the  braying  of 
the  Ass. 

Africa  produces  some  most  beautiful  examples  of  the  Wild  Asses, 
equalling  the  Asiatic  species  in  speed  and  beauty  of  form,  and  far  sur- 
passing them  in  richness  of  color  and  boldness  of  marking. 

The  QuAGGA  looks  at  first  sight  like  a  cross  between  the  common 
wild  ass  and  the  zebra,  as  it  only  partially  possesses  the  characteristic 
zebra  stripes,  and  is  decorated  merely  upon  the  hind  and  fore  parts  of 
the  body.  The  streaks  are  not  so  deep  as  they  are  in  the  zebra,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  body  is  brown,  with  the  exception  of  the  abdo- 
men, legs,  and  part  of  the  tail,  which  are  whitish  gray.  The  Quagga 
lives  in  large  herds,  and  is  much  persecuted  by  the  natives  of  South- 
ern Africa,  who  pursue  it  for  the  sake  of  its  skin  and  its  flesh,  both  of 
which  are  in  high  estimation. 

Among  all  the  species  of  the  Ass  tribe,  the  Zebra  is  by  far  the  most 
conspicuous  and  the  most  beautifuL 

The  general  color  of  the  Zebra  is  a  creamy  white,  marked  regularly 
with  velvety  black  stripes  that  cover  the  entire  head,  neck,  body,  and 


The  Zebra  {Asinus  Zebra). 

limbs,  and  extend  down  to  the  very  feet.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the 
stripes  are  drawn  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  part  of  the  body  on  which 
they  occur,  so  that  the  stripes  of  the  legs  are  horizontal,  while  those  of 


248  PACHYDERMATA. 

the  body  are  vertical.  The  abdomen  and  inside  faces  of  the  thighs 
are  cream-white,  and  the  end  of  the  tail  is  nearly  black.  This  arrange- 
ment of  coloring  is  strangely  similar  to  that  of  the  tiger,  and  has  earned 
for  the  animal  the  name  of  "  Hippotigris,"  or  Horse-tiger,  among  some 
zoologists,  ancient  and  modern.  The  skin  of  the  neck  is  developed  into 
a  kind  of  dewlap,  and  the  tail  is  sparingly  covered  with  coarse  black 
iiair.     By  the  Cape  colonists  it  is  called  Wilde  Paard,  or  "  Wild  Horse." 

At  the  best  of  times  the  flesh  of  the  Zebra  is  not  very  inviting,  being 
rather  tough,  coarse,  and  of  a  very  peculiar  flavor.  The  boers,  who 
call  themselves  by  the  title  of  "  baptized  men,"  think  they  would  be 
derogating  from  their  dignity  to  partake  of  the  flesh  of  the  zebra,  and 
generously  leave  the  animal  to  be  consumed  by  their  Hottentot  ser- 
vants. AVhen  wounded  the  Zebra  gives  a  kind  of  groan,  which  is 
said  to  resemble  that  of  a  dying  man. 

In  disposition  the  Zebra  is  fierce,  obstinate,  and  nearly  untamable. 
The  efforts  used  by  Mr.  Karey  in  reducing  to  obedience  the  Zebra  of  the 
Zoological  Gardens  are  now  matter  of  history.  The  little  brindled  an- 
imal gave  him  more  trouble  than  the  huge  savages  on  whom  he  had  so 
successfully  operated,  and  it  overset  some  of  his  calculations  by  the  fact 
that  it  was  able  to  kick  as  fiercely  from  three  legs  as  a  horse  from  four. 

In  its  habits  the  Zebra  resembles  the  Dziggetai,  as  it  is  always  found 
in  hilly  districts,  and  inhabits  the  high  craggy  mountain-ranges  in 
preference  to  the  plains.  It  is  a  mild  and  very  timid  animal,  fleeing 
instinctively  to  its  mountain-home  as  soon  as  it  is  alarmed  by  the  sight 
of  a  strange  object. 

PACHYDERMATA,  OR  THICK-SKINNED  ANIMALS. 

The  important  family  of  the  Elephantidse  includes,  according  to  the 
catalogue  of  the  British  Museum,  the  Elephants,  Tapirs,  8wine,  Hyrax, 
Rhinoceros,  and  Hippopotamus.  All  these  animals,  however  difl^erent 
their  aspect,  are  nearly  related  to  each  other  by  means  of  certain  mem- 
bers of  the  family,  which,  although  now  extinct,  have  been  recovered 
through  the  assistance  of  geological  researches. 

Of  Elephants,  two  distinct  species  are  found  in  different  continents, 
the  one  inhabiting  Asia,  and  the  other  taking  up  its  residence  in  Africa. 
According  to  some  zoologists,  these  animals  belong  to  different  genera, 
but  the  distinctions  between  the  two  creatures  are  not  sufficiently  deter- 
mined to  warrant  such  a  suggestion.  Although  the  Asiatic  and  Af- 
rican Elephants  are  very  similar  in  external  form,  they  may  at  once 
oe  distinguished  from  each  otlier  by  the  size  of  the  ear.  In  the  Asiatic 
animal  the  ears  are  of  moderate  size,  while  in  the  African  Elephant 
they  are  of  enormous  magnitude,  nearly  meeting  on  the  back  of  the 
head,  and  hanging  with  their  tips  below  the  neck. 


STKUCTURE  Or   THE   ELEPHANT.  249 

The  molar  teeth  also  afford  excellent  indications  of  the  country  to 
which  their  owner  has  belonged,  for  the  enamel  upon  the  surface  of  the 
teeth  of  the  Asiatic  Elephant  is  moulded  into  a  number  of  narrow 
bands  like  folded  ribbons,  while  that  of  the  African  species  is  formed 
into  five  or  six  diamond-  or  lozenge-shaped  folds.  Indeed,  each  molar 
tooth  seems  to  be  composed  of  a  number  of  flat,  broad  teeth,  which  are 
fastened  closely  together,  so  as  to  form  a  single  large  mass.  Only  a 
portion  of  each  tooth  is  externally  visible,  the  remainder  being  hidden 
in  the  jaw,  and  moving  forward  as  the  exposed  portion  is  worn  away. 
When  the  whole  tooth  is  thus  worn  out  it  fill  Is  from  the  jaw,  and  its 
place  is  taken  by  another,  which  has  been  forming  behind  it.  In  this 
manner  the  Elephant  sheds  its  molar  teeth  six  or  seven  times  in  the 
course  of  its  life.  The  tusks,  however,  are  permanent,  and  are  re- 
tained during  the  whole  of  the  animal's  existence.  In  the  Indian  Ele- 
phant only  the  males  are  furnished  with  tusks,  and  not  every  individ- 
ual of  that  sex,  whereas  in  the  African  species  both  sexes  are  supplied 
with  these  valuable  appendages,  those  of  the  male  being  much  larger 
and  heavier  than  those  of  his  mate. 

The  strangest  portion  of  the  Elephant's  form  is  the  trunk  or  probos- 
cis. This  wonderful  appendage  is  in  fact  a  development  of  the  upper 
lips  and  the  nose,  and  is  perforated  through  its  entire  length  by  the  nos- 
trils, and  furnished  at  its  extremity  with  a  kind  of  finger-like  append- 
age, which  enables  the  animal  to  pluck  a  single  blade  of  grass  or  to 
pick  a  minute  object  from  the  ground.  The  value  of  the  proboscis  to 
the  Elephant  is  incredible ;  without  its  aid  the  creature  would  soon 
starve.  The  short,  thick  neck  would  prevent  it  from  stooping  to  graze, 
while  the  projecting  tusks  would  effectually  hinder  it  from  reaching 
any  vegetables  which  might  grow  at  the  level  of  its  mouth.  And,  as 
it  would  be  unable  to  draw  water  into  its  mouth  without  the  use  of  the 
trunk,  thirst  would  in  a  very  short  time  end  its  existence. 

In  order  to  support  the  enormous  weight  of  the  teeth,  tusks,  and  pro- 
boscis, the  head  is  required  to  be  of  very  large  dimensions,  so  as  to  af- 
ford support  for  the  powerful  muscles  and  tendons  which  are  requisite 
for  such  a  task.  It  is  also  needful  that  lightness  should  be  combined 
with  magnitude,  and  this  double  condition  is  very  beautifully  fulfilled. 
The  skull  of  the  Elephant,  instead  of  being  a  mere  bony  shell  round 
the  brain,  is  enormously  enlarged  by  the  separation  of  its  bony  plates, 
the  intervening  space  being  filled  with  a  vast  number  of  honeycomb-like 
bony  cells,  th-^ir  walls  being  hardly  thicker  than  strong  paper,  and  their 
hollows  filled  during  the  life  of  the  animal  with  a  kind  of  semi-liquid 
fat  or  oil.  The  brain  lies  in  a  comparatively  small  cavity  within  this 
cellular  structure,  and  is  therefore  defended  from  the  severe  concus- 
sions which  it  would  otherwise  experience  from  the  frequency  with 
which  the  animal  employs  its  head  as  a  battering-ram. 


250  THE  ASIATIC  ELEPHANT. 

In  order  to  support  the  enormous  weight  which  rests  upon  them,  the 
legs  are  very  stout,  and  are  set  perpendicularly,  without  that  bend  in  the 
hinder-leg  which  is  found  in  most  animals.  There  is  an  elongated  can- 
non bone  in  the  Elephant,  so  that  the  hind-legs  are  without  the  so-called 
knee-joint.  This  structure,  however,  is  of  infinite  use  to  the  animal 
when  it  climbs  or  descends  steep  acclivities — a  feat  which  it  can  per- 
form with  marvellous  ease.  It  may  seem  strange,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true,  that  localities  which  would  be  totally  inaccessible  to  a  horse  are 
traversed  by  the  Elephant  with  perfect  ease. 

In  descending  from  a  height,  the  animal  performs  a  very  curious 
series  of  manoeuvres.  Kneeling  down  with  its  fore-feet  stretched  out 
in  front,  and  its  hinder-legs  bent  backward,  as  is  their  wont,  the  Ele- 
phant hitches  one  of  its  fore-feet  upon  some  projection  or  in  some  crev- 
ice, and,  bearing  fijmly  upon  this  support,  lowers  itself  for  a  short  dis- 
tance. It  then  advances  the  other  foot,  secures  it  in  like  manner, 
and  slides  still  farther,  never  losing  its  hold  of  one  place  of  vantage 
until  another  is  gained.  Should  no  suitable  projection  be  found,  the 
Elephant  scrapes  a  hole  in  the  ground  with  its  advanced  foot,  and 
makes  use  of  this  artificial  depression  in  its  descent.  If  the  declivity 
be  very  steep,  the  animal  will  not  descend  in  a  direct  line,  but  makes 
an  oblique  track  along  the  face  of  the  hill.  Although  the  description 
of  this  curious  process  occupies  some  time,  the  actual  feat  is  performed 
with  extreme  rapidity. 

Though  the  foot  of  an  Elephant  is  extremely  large,  it  is  most  admira- 
bly formed  for  the  purpose  which  it  is  destined  to  fulfil,  and  does  not,  as 
might  be  supposed,  fall  heavily  upon  the  ground.  The  hoof  that  in- 
closes the  foot  is  composed  of  a  vast  number  of  horny  plates,  that  aYe 
arranged  on  the  principle  of  the  common  carriage-spring,  and  seem  to 
guard  the  animal  from  the  jarring  shock  of  the  heavy  limb  upon  the 
soil.  Those  who  for  the  first  time  witness  the  walk  or  the  run  of  the 
Elephant  are  always  surprised  at  the  silent  ease  of  the  creature's  free, 
sweeping  step.  As  there  is  no  short  ligament  in  the  head  of  the  thigh- 
bone, the  hind-foot  is  swung  forward  at  each  step,  clearing  the  ground 
easily,  but  being  scarcely  raised  above  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

Having  thus  given  a  short  sketch  of  the  characteristics  which  are 
common  to  both  species  of  Elephants,  I  will  proceed  to  a  short  account 
of  the  Asiatic  animal. 

The  Asiatic  Elephant  bears  a  world-wide  fame  for  its  capabilities 
as  a  servant  and  companion  of  man,  and  for  the  extraordinary  develop- 
ment of  its  intellectual  faculties.  Hundreds  of  these  animals  are  annual- 
ly captured,  and  in  a  very  short  period  of  time  become  wholly  subjected 
to  their  owners,  and  learn  to  obey  their  commands  with  implicit  sub- 
mission. Indeed,  the  power  of  the  human  intellect  is  never  so  conspic- 
uous as  in  the  supremacy  which  man  maintains  over  so  gigantic  and 


ITS  APTITUDE  IN  LEARNING. 


251 


clever  an  animal  as  the  Elephant.  In  all  work  which  requires  the  ap- 
plication of  great  strength  combined  with  singular  judgment,  the  Ele- 
phant is  supreme,  but  as  a  mere  puller  and  hauler  it  is  of  no  very  great 
value.  lu  piling  logs,  for  example,  the  Elephant  soon  learns  the  proper 
mode  of  arrangement,  and  will  place  them  upon  each  other  with  a  reg- 
ularity that  wouM  not  be  surpassed  by  human  workmen.     Sir  Emerson 


The  Asiatic  Elephant  {Elephas  Indicus). 

Tennent  mentions  a  pair  of  Elephants  that  were  accustomed  to  labor 
conjointly,  and  which  had  been  taught  to  raise  their  wood-piles  to  a  con- 
siderable height  by  constructing  an  inclined  plane  of  sloping  beams,  and 
rolling  the  logs  up  the  beams. 

There  are  two  modes  of  capturing  the  Asiatic  Elephant,  the  one  by 
pursuing  solitary  individuals  and  binding  them  with  ropes  as  they  wan- 
der at  will  through  the  forests,  and  the  othc-r  by  driving  a  herd  of  Ele- 


252  METHODS  BY  WHICH 

phants  into  a  previously-prepared  pound,  and  securing  the  entrance  so 
as  to  prevent  their  escape. 

In  the  former  method  the  hunters  are  aided  by  certain  trained 
females,  termed  "  koomkies,"  which  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  chase 
with  wonderful  animation,  and  help  their  riders  in  every  possible  man- 
ner. When  the  koomkies  see  a  fine  male  Elephant,  they  advance  care- 
lessly toward  him,  plucking  leaves  and  grass,  as  if  they  were  perfectly 
indifferent  to  his  presence.  He  soon  becomes  attracted  to  them,  when 
they  overwhelm  him  with  endearing  feminine  blandishments,  and  occupy 
his  attention  so  fully  that  he  does  not  observe  the  proceedings  of  the 
"  mahouts,"  or  riders.  These  men,  seeing  the  Elephant  engaged  with 
the  "  koomkies,"  slip  quietly  to  the  ground  and  attach  their  rope  nooses 
to  his  legs,  fastening  the  ends  of  the  cords  to  some  neighboring  tree. 
Should  no  suitable  tree  be  at  hand,  the  koomkies  are  sagacious  enough 
to  comprehend  the  dilemma,  and  to  urge  their  victim  toward  some 
large  tree  which  is  sufficiently  strong  to  withstand  his  struggles.  As 
soon  as  the  preparations  are  complete  the  mahouts  give  the  word  of 
command  to  the  koomkies,  who  move  away,  leaving  the  captive 
Elephant  to  his  fate. 

Finding  himself  deserted  and  bound,  he  becomes  mad  with  rage,  and 
struggles  with  all  his  force  to  get  free.  In  these  furious  efforts  the 
Elephant  displays  a  flexibility  and  an  activity  of  body  that  are  quite 
surprising,  and  are  by  no  means  in  accordance  with  the  clumsy,  stiff 
aspect  of  its  body  and  limbs.  It  rolls  on  the  ground  in  despair,  it  rends 
the  air  with  furious  cries  of  rage,  it  butts  at  the  fatal  tree  with  all  its 
force  in  hope  of  bringing  it  to  the  ground,  and  has  been  known  to  stand 
with  its  hind-legs  fairly  off  the  ground  in  its  furious  endeavors  to  break 
the  rope.  After  a  while,  however,  it  finds  its  exertions  to  be  totally 
useless,  and  yields  to  its  conquerors. 

The  second  mode  of  capturing  Elephants  is  more  complicated.  The 
inclosure  into  which  the  Elephants  are  driven  is  termed  a  "keddah," 
and  is  ingeniously  constructed  of  stout  logs  and  posts,  which  are  sup- 
ported by  strong  buttresses,  and  are  so  arranged  that  a  man  can  pass 
through  the  interstices  between  the  logs.  When  the  keddah  is  set  in 
good  order,  a  vast  number  of  hunters  form  themselves  into  a  huge  cir- 
cle, inclosing  one  or  more  herds  of  Elephants,  and  moving  gradually 
toward  the  inclosure  of  the  keddah,  and  arranging  themselves  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  leave  the  entrance  toward  the  keddah  always  open. 
When  they  have  thus  brought  the  herd  to  the  proper  spot,  a  business 
which  will  often  consume  several  weeks,  the  Elephants  are  excited  by 
shouts,  the  waving  of  hands  and  spears,  etc.,  to  move  toward  the  in- 
closure, which  is  cunningly  concealed  by  the  trees  among  which  it  is 
built.  If  the  operation  should  take  place  at  night,  the  surrounding 
hunters  are  supplied  with  burning  torches,  while  the  keddah  is  care- 


THE   ELEPHANT  IS  CAPTURED.  253 

fully  kept  in  darkness.  Being  alarmed  by  the  noise  and  the  flames, 
the  Elephants  rush  instinctively  to  the  only  open  space,  and  are  thus 
fairly  brought  within  the  precincts  of  the  keddah,  from  which  they 
never  again  emerge  save  as  captives. 

The  terrified  animals  run  round  and  round  the  inclosure,  and  often 
attempt  a  desperate  charge,  but  are  always  driven  back  by  the  torch- 
bearers,  who  wave  their  flaming  weapons  and  discourage  the  captured 
animals  from  their  meditated  assault.  At  last  the  poor  creatures  are 
so  bewildered  and  fatigued  that  they  gather  together  in  the  centre  of 
the  keddah,  and  are  then  considered  to  be  ready  for  the  professional 
elephant-hunters.  These  courageous  men  enter  the  keddah  either  on 
foot  or  upon  the  back  of  their  koomkies,  and  contrive  to  tie  every 
one  of  the  captives  to  some  spot  from  whence  it  cannot  move.  Most 
ingenious  stratagems  are  employed  by  the  hunters  in  this  perilous 
task,  the  details  of  which  may  be  found  in  many  works  on  the  subject. 

The  Elephant  is  always  guided  by  a  mahout,  who  sits  astride  upon 
its  neck  and  directs  the  movements  of  the  animal  by  means  of  his  voice, 
aided  by  a  kind  of  spiked  hook,  called  the  haunkus,  which  is  applied 
to  the  animal's  head  in  such  a  manner  as  to  convey  the  driver's  wishes 
to  the  Elephant.  The  persons  who  ride  upon  the  Elephant  are  either 
placed  in  the  howdah,  a  kind  of  wheelless  carriage  strapped  on  the 
animal's  back,  or  sit  upon  a  large  pad,  which  is  furnished  with  cross 
ropes  in  order  to  give  a  firm  hold.  The  latter  plan  is  generally  preferred, 
as  the  rider  is  able  to  change  his  position  at  will,  and  even  to  recline 
upon  the  Elephant's  back  if  he  should  be  fatigued  by  the  heavy  rolling 
gait  of  the  animal.  The  Elephant  generally  kneels  in  order  to  permit 
the  riders  to  mount,  and  then  rises  from  the  ground  with  a  peculiar 
swinging  motion.  Very  small  Elephants  are  furnished  with  a  saddle 
like  that  which  is  used  upon  horses,  and  is  fitted  with  stirrups.  The 
saddle,  however,  cannot  be  conveniently  used  on  animals  that  are  more 
than  six  feet  in  height. 

The  size  of  Elephants  has  been  greatly  exaggerated,  as  sundry 
writers  have  given  fourteen  or  sixteen  feet  as  an  ordinary  height,  and 
have  even  mentioned  instances  where  Elephants  have  attained  to  that 
of  twenty  feet.  It  is  true  that  the  enormous  bulk  of  the  animal  makes 
its  height  appear  much  greater  than  is  really  the  case.  Eight  feet  is 
about  the  average  height  of  a  large  Elephant,  and  scarcely  any 
Elephant  measures  much  more  than  ten  feet  high  at  the  shoulder. 

The  general  color  of  the  Elephant  is  brown,  of  a  lighter  tint  when 
the  animal  is  at  liberty,  and  considerably  deeper  when  its  hide  is  sub- 
jected to  rubbing  with  a  cocoa-nut  brush  and  plenty  of  oil.  Sometimes 
an  albino  or  White  Elephant  is  seen  in  the  forests,  the  color  of  the 
animal  being  a  pinky  white,  and  aptly  compared  to  the  nose  of  a  white 
horse.     The  king  of  Ava,  one  of  whose  titles  is  "Lord  of  the  White 

22 


254 


THE  AFRICAN   ELEPHANT. 


Elephants/'  generally  contrives  to  monopolize  every  White  Elephant, 
and  employs  them  for  purposes  of  state,  decorating  them  with  strings 
of  priceless  gems,  pearls,  and  gold  coins,  and  lodging  them  in  the 
most  magnificent  of  houses,  where  their  very  eating-troughs  are  of 
silver. 

The  African  Elephant  is   spread  over  a  very  wide   range  of 
country,  extending  from  Senegal  and  Abyssinia  to  the  borders  of  the 


The  African  Elephant  {Loxodonta  Africana). 

Cape  Colony.  Several  conditions  are  required  for  its  existence,  such 
as  water,  dense  forests,  and  the  absence  of  human  habitations. 

Although  it  is  very  abundant  in  the  locality  which  it  inhabits,  it  is 
not  often  seen  by  casual  travellers,  owing  to  its  great  vigilance  and  its 
wonderful  power  of  moving  through  the  tangled  forests  without  noise 
and  without  causing  any  perceptible  agitation  of  the  foliage.  In  spite 
of  its  enormous  dimensions,  it  is  one  of  the  most  invisible  of  forest 
creatures,  and  a  herd  of  Elephants,  of  eight  or  nine  feet  in  height,  may 
stand  within  a  few  yards  of  a  hunter  without  being  detected  by  him, 
even  though  he  is  aware  of  their  presence. 

The  Kaffirs  are  persevering  elephant-hunters,  and  are  wonderfully 


ITS  FLESH  AS  A  DELICACY.  255 

expert  in  tracking  any  individual  by  the  "  spoor,"  or  track,  which  is 
made  by  its  footsteps.  The  foot  of  a  male  is  easily  to  be  distinguished 
by  the  roundness  of  its  form,  while  that  of  the  female  is  more  oval, 
and  the  height  of  the  animal  is  also  ascertained  by  measurement  of  the 
footmarks,  twice  the  circumference  of  the  foot  being  equal  to  the  height 
at  the  shoulder. 

The  death  of  a  large  Elephant  is  great  matter  of  congratulation 
among  the  natives,  who  rejoice  at  the  abundant  supply  of  food  which 
will  fall  to  their  share.  Almost  every  portion  of  the  animal  is  used 
by  the  Kaffirs,  whose  strong  jaws  are  not  to  be  daunted  by  the  toughest 
meat,  and  whose  accommodating  palates  are  satisfied  with  various  por- 
tions which  would  be  rejected  by  any  civilized  being. 

Some  portions  of  the  Elephant  are,  however,  grateful  even  to  Euro- 
pean palates,  and  the  foot,  when  baked,  is  really  delicious.  This  part 
of  the  animal  is  cooked  by  being  laid  in  a  hole  in  the  earth,  over  which 
a  large  fire  has  been  suffered  to  burn  itself  out,  and  then  covered  over 
with  the  hot  earth.  Another  fire  is  then  built  on  the  spot,  and  permit- 
ted to  burn  itself  out  as  before,  and  when  the  place  is  thoroughly  cool, 
the  foot  is  properly  cooked.  The  flesh  of  the  boiled  foot  is  quite  soft 
and  o-elatinoLis,  somethino*  resemblinoj  calf's  head,  and  is  so  tender  that 
it  can  be  scooped  away  with  a  spoon.  The  trunk  and  the  skin  around 
the  eye  are  also  enumerated  as  delicacies,  but  have  been  compared  by 
one  who  has  had  practical  experience  as  bearing  a  close  resemblance  to 
shoe-leather  both  in  toughness  and  evil  flavor. 

The  natives  employ  many  methods  of  capturing  Elephants,  the  pit- 
fall being  the  most  deadly.  Even  this  insidious  snare  is  often  rendered 
useless  by  the  sagacity  of  the  crafty  old  leaders  of  the  herds,  who  pre- 
cede their  little  troops  to  the  water,  as  they  advance  by  night  to  drink, 
and,  carefully  beating  the  ground  with  their  trunks  as  they  proceed, 
unmask  the  pitfalls  that  have  been  dug  in  their  course.  They  then 
tear  away  the  covers  of  the  pits  and  render  them  harmless.  These 
pits  are  terrible  affairs  when  an  animal  gets  into  them,  for  a  sharp 
stake  is  set  perpendicularly  at  the  bottom,  so  that  the  poor  Elephant 
is  transfixed  by  its  own  weight  and  dies  miserably.  Each  pit  is  about 
eight  feet  long  by  four  in  width. 

The  ivory  of  the  African  Elephant  is  extremely  valuable,  and  vast 
quantities  are  imported  annually  into  this  country.  The  slaughter  of 
an  Elephant  is  therefore  a  matter  of  congratulation  to  the  white  hunter, 
who  knows  that  he  can  obtain  a  good  price  for  the  tusks  and  teeth  of 
the  animal  which  he  has  slain.  A  pair  of  tusks  weighing  about  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds  will  fetch  nearly  two  hundred  dollars  when  sold, 
so  that  the  produce  of  a  successful  chase  is  extremely  valuable.  One 
officer  contrived  to  purchase  every  step  in  the  army  by  the  sale  of  the 
ivory  which  he  had  thus  obtained.     Ou  an  average,  each  pair  of  tusks, 


256  THE  TAPIR. 

taking  the  small  with  the  great,  will  weigh  about  a  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds. 

One  of  the  links  which  unite  the  elephants  to  the  swine  and  rhino- 
ceros is  to  be  found  in  the  genus  Tapirus.  The  animals  which  belong 
to  this  genus  are  remarkable  for  the  prolonged  upper  lip,  which  is 
formed  into  a  kind  of  small  proboscis,  not  unlike  that  of  the  elephant, 
but  upon  a  smaller  scale,  and  devoid  of  the  finger-like  appendage  at 
the  extremity.     Only  two  species  are  at  present  existing. 

The  common  or  American  Tapir,  sometimes  called  the  Mborebi,  is 
a  native  of  tropical  America,  where  it  is  found  in  great  numbers,  in- 
habiting the  densely-wooded  regions  that  fringe  the  banks  of  rivers. 
It  is  a  great  water-lover,  and  can  swim  or  dive  with  perfect  ease.  The 
tough,  thick  hide  with  which  the  Tapir  is  covered  is  of  great  service 
in  enabling  the  animal  to  pursue  its  headlong  course  through  the  forest 
without  suffering  injury  from  the  branches.  When  it  runs,  it  carries 
its  head  very  low,  as  does  the  wild  boar  under  similar  circum- 
stances. 

The  color  of  the  adult  Tapir  is  a  uniform  brown,  but  the  young  is 
beautifully  variegated  with  yellowish  fawn  spots  and  stripes  upon  a 
rich  brown-black  ground,  reminding  the  observer  of  the  peculiar  tint- 
.  J  ing  of  the  Hood's  marmot.     The  neck  is 

Vl/'  '^fc  J"     ^tl^>i'"^d    ^vith    a   «hort    and    erect    black 
mane. 

The  Tapir  can  easily  be  brought  under 
the  subjection  of  man,  and  is  readily  tamed, 
becoming  unpleasantly  familiar  w'ith  those 
'-  persons  whom  it  knows,  and  taking  all 
o  kinds  of  liberties  with  them,  which  would 
be  well  enough  in  a  little  dog  or  a  kitten, 
KuDA-AYER  OR  MALAYAN  but  are  quite  out  of  place  with  an  animal 
Tapir  {Tapirus  Malaydnus).     ^^  jj^^gg  ^g   ^  donkey. 

The  second  species  of  Tapir  is  found  in  Malacca  and  Sumatra,  and 
is  a  most  conspicuous  animal,  in  consequence  of  the  broad  band  of 
white  that  encircles  the  body,  and  which  at  a  little  distance  gives  it  the 
aspect  of  being  muffled  up  in  a  white  sheet. 

The  ground  color  of  the  adult  Malayan  Tapir  is  a  deep  sooty 
black,  contrasting  most  strongly  with  the  grayish  white  of  the  back 
and  flanks.  The  young  animal  is  as  beautifully  variegated  as  that  of 
the  preceding  species,  being  striped  and  spotted  with  yellow  fawn  upon 
the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  and  with  white  below.  There  is  no  mane 
upon  the  neck  of  the  Malayan  Tapir,  and  the  proboscis  is  even  longer 
in  proportion.  In  size  it  rather  exceeds  the  preceding  animal.  In 
many  of  its  habits  the  Malayan  animal  is  exactly  similar  to  the  species 
which  inhabits  America,  but  it  is  said  that,  although  the  Kuda-Ayer 


THE  DOMESTIC  HOG.  257 

is  very  fand  <jf  the  water,  it  does  not  attempt  to  swim,  but  contents  it- 
self with  walking  on  the  bed  of  the  stream.  Although  a  sufficiently 
common  animal  in  its  native  country,  it  is  but  seldom  seen,  owing  to 
its  extremely  shy  habits,  and  its  custom  of  concealing  itself  in  the 
thickest  underwood. 

The  hide  of  the  Tapir  is  employed  by  the  natives  for  several  useful 
purposes,  but  the  flesh  is  dry,  tasteless,  and  not  worth  the  trouble  of 
cooking.  The  term  "  Kuda-Ayer "  is  a  Malayan  word,  signifying 
"river-horse,"  and  the  animal  is  also  known   by  the  name  of  Tennu. 

In  the  Swine,  the  snout  is  far  less  elephantine  than  in  the  preceding 
animals,  and,  though  capable  of  considerable  mobility,  cannot  be  curled 
round  any  object  so  as  to  raise  it  from  the  ground.  Nor,  indeed,  is 
such  a  power  needed,  as  the  Swine  employ  the  snout  for  the  purpose 
of  rooting  in  the  earth,  and  of  distinguishing,  by  its  tactile  powers 
and  the  delicate  sense  of  smell  which  is  possessed  by  these  animals, 
those  substances  which  are  suitable  for  food. 

There  are  many  species  as  well  as  varieties  of  Swine,  which  are 
found  in  different  parts  of  the  earth,  the  first  and  most  familiar  of 
which  is  the  Domestic  Hog  of  Europe. 

This  species  is  spread  over  the  greater  portion  of  the  habitable  globe, 
and  was  in  former  days  common  in  a  wild  state  even  in  England,  from 
whence  it  has  only  been  ex- 
pelled within  a  comparatively 
late  period.  The  chase  of  the 
wild  boar  was  a  favorite  amuse- 
ment of  the  upper  classes,  and 
the  animal  was  one  of  tho33 
which  were  protected  by  the 
terribly  severe  forest  laws 
which  were  then  in  vogue. 

At  the  present  time  the  wild 

Swine  have  ceased  from  out  of 

England,  in  spite  of  several  ,,,       t>         ,0,  r  \ 

*=         '         i  Ihe  Boar  [Sus  scrofo). 

eiiorts  that  have  been  made  to 

restore  the  breed  by  importing  specimens  from  the  Continent  and  turn- 
ing them  into  the  forests.  There  are,  however,  traces  of  the  old  wild 
boars  still  to  be  found  in  the  forest  pigs  of  Hampshire,  with  their  high 
crests,  broad  shoulders,  and  thick  bristling  manes.  These  animals  are 
very  active,  and  are  much  fiercer  than  the  ordinary  Swine. 

In  this  country  the  Hog  is  used  not  only  for  food,  but  for  the  sake 
of  the  hide,  which,  when  prepared  after  a  peculiar  fashion,  is  found  to 
niake  the  best  leather  for  saddles.  The  bristles  which  are  so  largely 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  brushes  are  almost  exclusively  imported 
from  the  Continent. 

22-  R 


25S 


THE  BABYROUSSA. 


Id  its  wild  and  domesticated  state  the  Hog  is  a  most  prolific  animal, 
producing  from  eight  to  twelve  pigs  twice  in  each  year,  when  it  is  in 
full  vigor  and  in  good  health.  Gilbert  White  records  a  sow  which 
when  she  died  was  the  parent  of  no  less  than  three  hundred  pigs. 

There  is  a  prevalent  idea  that  whenever  the  Hog  takes  to  the  water 
he  cuts  his  own  throat  with  the  sharp  hoofs  of  his  fore-feet.  This,  how- 
ever, is  by  no  means  the  case,  for  the  animal  is  an  admirable  swimmer, 
and  will  often  take  to  the  water  intuitively.  In  one  of  the  Moray  Isl- 
ands three  domestic  pigs  belonging  to  the  same  litter  swam  a  distance 
of  five  miles,  and  it  is  said  that  if  they  had  belonged  to  a  wild  fam- 
ily they  would  have  swum  to  a  much  greater  distance. 


-3/^i/^^:^-^ 


The  Essex  Pig. 


The  flesh  and  fat  of  the  Hog  are  especially  valuable  on  account  of 
their  aptitude  for  taking  salt  without  being  rendered  hard  and  indigest- 
ible by  the  process ;  and  the  various  breeds  of  domesticated  Swine  are 
noted  for  their  adaptation  to  form  pork  or  bacon  in  the  shortest  time 
and  of  the  best  quality.  A  full  account  of  the  various  English  vari- 
eties, together  with  the  mode  of  breeding  them  and  developing  their 
peculiar  characteristics,  may  be  found  in  many  books  which  are  de- 
voted especially  to  the  subject. 

One  of  the  most  formidable-looking  of  Swine  is  the  Babyeoussa  of 
Malacca.  This  strange  creature  is  notable  for  the  curious  manner  in 
which  the  tusks  are  arranged,  four  of  these  weapons  being  seen  to  pro- 
ject above  the  snout.  The  tusks  of  the  lower  jaw  project  upward  on 
each  side  of  the  upper,  as  is  the  case  with  the  ordinary  boar  of  Europe, 
but  those  of  the  upper  jaw  are  directed  in  a  very  strange  manner.  Their 
sockets, -instead  of  pointing  downward,  are  curved  upward,  so  that  the 
tooth,  in  filling  the  curvatures  of  the  socket,  passes  through  a  hole  in 


urusi 


THE  BOSCH  VARK.  259 

the  upper  lip,  and  curls  boldly  over  the  face.  The  curve,  as  well  as  the 
comparative  size,  of  these  weapons  is  extremely  variable,  and  is  seldom 
precisely  the  same  in  any  two  individuals.  The  upper  tusks  do  not  seem 
to  be  employed  as  offensive  weapons ;  indeed,  in  many  instances  they 
would  be  quite  useless  for  such  a  purpose,  as  they  are  so  strongly  curved 
that  their  points  reach  nearly  to 
the  skin  of  the  forehead.  The 
female  is  devoid  of  these  curi- 
ous appendages. 

The  skin  of  the  Babyroussa 
is  rather  smooth,  being  sparsely 
covered  with  short  bristly  hairs. 
The  object  of  the  upper  tusks 
is  at  present  unknown,  al- 
though certain  old  writers  as- 
serted that  the  animal  was  ac- 
customed to  suspend  himself  to  ^""^  Babyroussa  {Babirussa  Alf. 
branches  by  means  of  the  appendage.  The  Babyroussa  lives  in  herds 
of  considerable  size,  and  is  found  inhabiting  the  marshy  parts  of  its 
native  land. 

*  The  Bosch  Vark,  or  Bush  Hog,  of  Southern  Africa,  is  a  very  for- 
midable animal  in  aspect,  as  well  as  in  character,  the  heavy,  lowering 
look,  the  projecting  tusks,  and  the  callous  protuberance  on  the  cheek 
giving  it  a  ferocious  expression  which  is  no  way  belied  by  the  savage 
and  sullen  temper  of  the  animal.  The  Bosch  Vark  inhabits  the  forests, 
and  is  generally  found  lying  in  excavations  or  hollows  in  the  ground, 
from  which  it  is  apt  to  rush  if  suddenly  disturbed,  and  to  work  dire 
vengeance  upon  its  foe.  In  color  it  is  extremely  variable,  some  species 
being  of  a  uniform  dark  brown,  others  of  a  brown  variegated  with  white, 
while  others  are  tinged  with  bright  chestnut.  The  young  is  richly  mot- 
tled with  yellow  and  brown.  For  the  following  account  of  the  habits 
of  the  Bosch  Vark  I  am  indebted  to  Colonel  Drayson's  MS.  : 

"  Where  the  locality  is  sufficiently  retired  and  wooded  to  afford  shel- 
ter to  the  bush  bucks  which  I  have  mentioned,  we  may  generally  ex- 
pect to  find  traces  of  the  Bush  Pig.  His  spoor  is  like  the  letter  M 
without  the  horizontal  marks,  the  extremities  of  the  toes  forming  two 
separate  points,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  Antelopes,  at  least  very 
rarely  so,  the  general  impression  of  their  feet  being  like  the  letter  A 
with  a  division  down  the  centre,  thus  /|\. 

"  The  Bush  Pig  is  about  two  feet  six  inches  in  height  and  five  feet  in 
length  ;  his  canine  teeth  are  very  large  and  strong,  those  in  the  upper 
jaw  projecting  horizontally ;  those  in  the  lower,  upward.  He  is  cov- 
ered with  long  bristles,  and,  taking  him  all  in  all,  he  is  about  as  formi- 
dable-looking an  animal,  for  his  size,  as  can  be  seen. 


260 


THE  PECCARY. 


"  The  Bosch  Varks  traverse  the  forests  in  herds,  and  subsist  on  roots 
and  young  shrubs.  A  large  hard-shelled  sort  of  orange,  with  an  in- 
terior filled  with  seeds,  grows  in  great  quantities  on  the  flats  near  the 
Natal  forests;  this  is  a  favorite  fruit  of  the  wild  pigs,  and  they  will 
come  out  of  the  bush  of  an  evening  and  roam  over  the  plains  in  search 
of  windfalls  from  these  fruit  trees. 

"  The  Kaflir  tribes,  although  they  refuse  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the  do- 
mestic pig,  will  still  feast  without  compunction  on  that  of  its  bush 
brother. 

"  In  the  bush  I  always  found  the  Kafiirs  disinclined  to  encounter  a 
herd  of  these  wild  Swine,  stating  as  their  reason  for  doing  so  that  the 
animals  were  very  dangerous  ;  they  also  said  that  the  wounds  given  by 
the  tusks  of  this  wild  pig  would  not  readily  heal.  The  Berea  bush  of 
Natal  was  a  favorite  resort  of  these  wild  pigs,  but,  although  their  spoor 
could  be  seen  in  all  directions,  the  animals  themselves  were  not  so 
frequently  encountered. 

"  The  Kaffirs  are  much  annoyed  by  these  wild  pigs,  which  force  a 
passage  through  the  imperfectly  made  fences,  and  root  up  the  seeds  or 
destroy  the  pumpkins  in  the  various  gardens.  As  a  defence,  the  Kaf- 
firs leave  nice  enticing  little  openings  in  different  parts  of  their  fences, 
and  the  pigs,  taking  advantage  of  these  ready-made  doorways,  fre- 
quently walk  through  them,  and  are  then  engulfed  in  a  deep  pit  in 
which  is  a  pointed  stake,  and  they  are  assagaied  with  great  delight  by 
the  expecting  Kaffirs,  who  are  on  the  alert,  and  who  hear  the  cries  of 
distress  from  Piggy  himself. 

"  The  tusks  are  considered  great  ornaments,  and  are  arranged  on  a 
piece  of  string  and  worn  round  the  neck." 

America  possesses  a  representative  of  the  porcine  group  in  the  Pec- 
caries, two  species  of  which  animals  inhabit  the  Brazils. 

The  common  Peccary, 
or  Tajacu,  although  it  is 
of  no  very  great  dimen- 
sions, resembling  a  small 
pig  in  size,  is  yet  a  ter- 
rible animal.  Ever  fierce 
and  irritable  of  temper, 
the  Peccary  is  as  formida- 
ble an  antagonist  as  can 
be  seen  in  any  land,  for 
it  knows  no  fear  and  will 
attack  any  foe  without 
hesitation.  Although  the 
Peccary  is  a  very  harmless  animal  to  outward  view,  being  only  three 
feet  long  and  weighing  fifty  or  sixty  pounds,  and  its  armature  consists 


vw- 


The  Peccary  {Dicotyles  Tajacu). 


THE  RHINOCEROS.  261 

of  some  short  tusks  that  are  barely  seen  beyond  the  lips,  yet  these  little 
tusks  are  as  fearful  weapons  as  the  longer  teeth  of  the  Bosch  Vark,  for 
they  are  shaped  like  a  lancet,  being  acutely  pointed  and  double-edged, 
so  that  they  cut  like  knives  and  inflict  very  terrible  wounds. 

No  animal  seems  to  be  capable  of  withstanding  the  united  attacks  of 
the  Peccary,  even  the  jaguar  being  forced  to  abandon  the  contest  and 
to  shrink  from  encountering  the  circular  mass  of  Peccaries  as  they 
stand  with  angry  eyes  and  gnashing  teeth  ready  to  do  their  worst  on 
the  foe. 

The  usual  resting-place  of  the  Peccary  is  in  the  hollow  of  a  fallen 
tree,  or  in  some  burrow  that  has  been  dug  by  an  armadillo  and  for- 
saken by  the  original  inhabitant.  The  hollow  tree,  however,  is  the 
favorite  resort,  and  into  one  of  these  curious  habitations  a  party  of 
Peccaries  will  retreat,  each  backing  into  the  aperture  as  far  as  he  can 
penetrate  the  trunk,  until  the  entire  hollow  is  filled  with  the  odd  little 
creatures.  The  one  who  last  enters  becomes  the  sentinel,  and  keeps  a 
sharp  watch  on  the  neighborhood. 

The  color  of  the  Peccary  is  a  grizzled  brown,  with  the  exception  of  a 
white  strip  that  is  drawn  over  the  neck  and  has  earned  for  the  animal 
the  name  of  the  Collared  Peccary. 

Several  species  of  the  Rhinoceros  are  still  inhabitants  of  the  earth. 
Of  the  existing  species,  two  or  three  are  found  in  various  parts  of  Asia 
and  its  islands,  and  the  remainder  inhabit  several  portions  of  Africa. 
Before  examining  the  separate  species,  we  will  glance  at  some  of  the 
characteristics  which  are  common  to  all  the  members  of  this  very  con- 
spicuous group. 

The  so-called  horn  which  projects  from  the  nose  of  the  Rhinoceros 
is  a  very  remarkable  structure,  and  worthy  of  a  brief  notice.  It  is  in 
no  way  connected  with  the  skull,  but  is  simply  a  growth  from  the  skin, 
and  may  take  rank  with  hairs,  spines,  or  quills,  being,  indeed,  formed 
after  a  similar  manner.  If  a  Rhinoceros'  horn  be  examined — the 
species  of  its  owner  is  quite  immaterial — it  will  be  seen  to  be  polished 
and  smooth  at  the  tip,  but  r6ugh  and  split  into  numerous  filaments  at 
the  base.  These  filaments,  which  have  a  very  close  resemblance  to 
those  which  terminate  the  plates  of  whalebone,  can  be  stripped  upward 
for  some  length  ;  and  if  the  substance  of  the  horn  be  cut  across,  it  will 
be  seen  to  be  composed  of  a  vast  number  of  hairy  filaments  lying  side 
by  side. 

The  skin  of  the  Rhinoceros  is  of  very  great  thickness  and  strength, 
bidding  defiance  to  ordinary  bullets,  and  forcing  the  hunter  to  provide 
himself  with  balls  w^hich  have  been  hardened  with  tin  or  solder.  The 
extreme  strength  of  the  skin  is  well  known  to  both  the  Asiatic  and  Af- 
rican natives,  who  manufacture  it  into  shields,  and  set  a  high  value  on 
these  weapons  of  defence. 


262 


THE  INDIAN  KHINOCEKOS. 


In  every  species  of  Khinoceros  the  sight  appears  to  be  rather  imper- 
fect, the  animal  being  unable  to  see  objects  which  are  exactly  in  its 
front.  The  scent  and  hearing,  however,  are  very  acute,  and  seem  to 
warn  the  animal  of  the  approach  of  danger. 

The  Asiatic  species  of  Rhinoceros  are  remarkable  for  the  heavy  folds 
into  which  the  skin  is  gathered,  and  which  hang  massively  over  the 
shoulders,  throat,  flanks,  and  hind-quarters.  Upon  the  abdomen  the 
skin  is  comparatively  soft,  and  can  be  pierced  by  a  spear  which  would 
be  harmlessly,  repelled  from  the  thick  folds  of  hide  upon  the  upper 

.||l|||||||{l| 'illl«i)»<'i|M^ 

ill! 


The  Indian  Rhinoceros  {Rhinoceros  unicornis). 

portions  of  the  body.  In  the  Indian  Rhinoceros  this  weight  of  hide 
is  especially  conspicuous,  the  skin  forming  great  flaps  that  can  easily  be 
lifted  up  by  the  hand.  In  a  tamed  state  the  Rhinoceros  is  pleased  to 
be  caressed  on  the  softer  skin  under  the  thick  hide,  and  in  the  wild 
state  it  suffers  sadly  from  the  parasitic  insects  that  creep  beneath  the 
flaps,  and  lead  the  poor  animal  a  miserable  life,  until  they  are  stifled 
in  the  muddy  compost  with  which  the  Rhinoceros  loves  to  envelop  its 
body.  The  horn  of  the  Indian  species  is  large  in  width,  but  inconsid- 
erable in  height,  being  often  scarcely  higher  than  its  diameter.  Yet 
with  his  short  heavy  weapon  the  animal  can  do  terrible  execution,  and 


THE  LITTLE  BLACK  RHINOCEROS  AND  THE  KEITLOA.     263 

is  said,  upon  the  authority  of  Captain  Williamson,  to  repel  the  attack 
of  an  adult  male  elephant. 

The  height  of  this  animal  when  fully  grown  is  rather  more  than 
five  feet,  but  the  average  height  seems  scarcely  to  exceed  four  feet. 
In  color  it  is  a  deep  brown  black,  tinged  with  a  purple  hue,  which  is 
most  perceptible  when  the  animal  has  recently  left  its  bath.  The  color 
of  the  young  animal  is  much  paler  than  that  of  the  mother,  and  par- 
takes of  a  pinky  hue. 

Of  African  Rhinoceroses  four  species  are  clearly  ascertained,  and  it 
is  very  probable  that  others  may  yet  be  in  existence.  Two  of  the  known 
species  are  black  and  the  other  two  white,  the  animals  differing  from 
each  other  not  only  in  color,  but  in  form,  dimensions,  habits,  and  dis- 
position. The  commonest  of  the  African  species  is  the  Borele,  Rhin- 
ASTER,  or  Little  Black  Rhinoceros  of  Southern  Africa — an  animal 
which  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  its  relations  by  the  shape  of 
the  horns  and  the  upper  lip.  In  the  Borele  the  foremost  horn  is  of 
considerable  length  and  bent  rather  backward,  while  the  second  horn 
is  short,  conical,  and  much  resembles  the  weapon  of  the  Indian  animal. 
The  head  is  rather  rounded,  and  the  pointed  upper  lip  overlaps  the 
lower  and  is  capable  of  considerable  extension. 

The  skin  of  this  animal  does  not  fall  in  heavy  folds,  like  that  of  the 
Asiatic  species,  but  is  nevertheless  extremely  thick  and  hard,  and  will 
resist  an  ordinary  leaden  bullet,  unless  it  be  fired  from  a  small  dis- 
tance. The  skin  is  employed  largely  in  the  manufacture  of  whips,  or 
jamboks. 

The  food  of  the  Black  Rhinoceros,  whether  the  Borele  or  the  Keitloa, 
is  composed  of  roots,  which  the  animal  ploughs  out  of  the  ground  with 
its  horn,  and  of  the  young  branches  and  shoots  of  the  wait-a-bit  thorn. 
It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  black  species  is  poisoned  by  one  of 
the  Euphorbiacese,  which  is  eaten  with  impunity  by  the  two  white  an- 
imals. 

When  wounded,  the  Black  Rhinoceros  is  truly  a  fearful  opponent, 
and  it  is  generally  considered  very  unsafe  to  fire  at  the  animal  unless 
the  hunter  be  mounted  on  a  good  horse  or  provided  with  an  access- 
ible place  of  refuge — an  old  experienced  hunter  said  that  he  would 
rather  face  fifty  lions  than  one  wounded  Borele — but  Mr.  Oswell,  the 
well-known  African  sportsman,  always  preferred  to  shoot  the  Rhino- 
ceros on  foot.  The  best  place  to  aim  is  just  behind  the  shoulder,  as  if 
the  lungs  are  wounded  the  animal  very  soon  dies.  There  is  but  little 
blood  externally,  as  the  thick  loose  skin  covers  the  bullet-hole  and  pre- 
vents any  outward  effusion.  When  mortally  wounded  the  Rhinoceros 
generally  drops  on  its  knees. 

The  Keitloa  can  readily  be  recognized  by  the  horns,  which  are  of 
considerable  length,  and  nearly  equal  to  each  other  in  measurement. 


264 


THE  WHITE  KHINOCEROS  AND  THE  HYRAX. 


This  is  always  a  morose  and  ill-tempered  animal,  and  is  even  more  to 
be  dreaded  than  the  borele,  on  account  of  its  greater  size,  strength,  and 
length  of  horn.  The  upper  lip  of  the  Keitloa  overlaps  the  lower  even 
more  than  does  that  of  the  borele ;  the  neck  is  longer  in  proportion, 
and  the  head  is  not  so  thickly  covered  with  wrinkles.  At  its  birth  the 
horns  of  this  animal  are  only  indicated  by  a  prominence  on  the  nose, 
and  at  the  age  of  two  years  the  horn  is  hardly  more  than  an  inch  in 
length.  At  six  years  of  age  it  is  nine  or  ten  inches  long,  and  does  not 
reach  its  full  measurement  until  the  lapse  of  considerable  time. 


The  Keitloa  or  ISloajs's  KHiNOCEiios  {Bhinoeeros  Keitloa). 

Tlie  common  White  Khinoceros  [Rhinoceros  Simtis)  is  considerably 
hu-ger  than  the  two  preceding  animals,  and,  together  with  the  kobaoba, 
or  long-horned  white  Rhinoceros,  is  remarkable  for  its  square  muzzle 
and  elongated  head.  The  foremost  horn  of  this  animal  is  of  very  con- 
siderable length,  attaining  a  measurement  of  more  than  three  feet 
when  fully  grown.  The  second  horn  is  short  and  conical,  like  that 
of  the  borele. 

One  of  the  most  curious  little  animals  in  existence  is  the  Hyrax, 
interesting  not  so  much  from  its  imposing  external  appearance  as  for 
its  importance  in  filling  up  a  link  in  the  chain  of  creation. 

About  as  large  as  a  tolerably-sized  rabbit,  covered  with  thick  soft  fur, 
inhabiting  holes  in  the  banks,  possessing  incisor-like  teeth,  and,  in  fine, 
being  a  very  rabbit  in  habits,  manners,  and  "appearance,  it  was  long 


KLIP  DAS,   SYRIAN  HYRAX,  AND  HIPPOPOTAMUS.       265 

classed  among  the  rodents  and  placed  among  the  rabbits  and  hares. 
It  has,  however,  been  discovered  in  later  years  that  this  little  rabbit- 
like animal  is  no  rodent  at  all,  but  is  one  of  the  Pachydermata,  and 
that  it  forms  a  natural  transition  from  the  rhinoceros  to  the  hippo- 
potamus. On  a  close  examination  of  the  teeth,  they  are  seen  to  be 
wonderfully  like  those  of  the  hippopotamus,  their  edges  being  bevelled 
off  in  a  similar  manner,  and  therefore  bearing  some  resemblance  to  the 
chisel-edged  incisors  of  the  rodents.  There  are  several  species  of 
Hyrax,  one  of  which  inhabits  Northern  Africa  and  Syria,  while  two 
are  found  in  Abyssinia  and  South  Africa. 

The  South  African  Hyrax  is  termed  by  the  colonists  Klip  Das,  or 
Rock  Rabbit,  and  is  found  in  considerable  numbers  among  the  moun- 
tainous districts  of  its  native  land,  being  especially  common  on  the 
sides  of  the  Table  Mountain.  It  is  eaten  largely  by  the  natives,  who 
succeed   in  killing  it  in  spite  of  its  extreme   wariness  and  activity. 

Among  the  crevices  and  fissures  in  the  rock  the  Hyrax  takes  up  its 
abode,  and  may  often  be  seen  sitting  in  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun,  or 
feeding  with  apparent  carelessness  on  the  aromatic  herbage  of  the 
mountain-side.  It  is,  however,  perfectly  secure,  in  spite  of  its  apparent 
negligence,  for  a  sentinel  is  always  on  guard,  ready,  by  a  peculiar  shrill 
cry,  to  warn  his  companions  of  the  approach  of  danger.  Sometimes 
the  Hyrax  is  seen  at  a  considerable  height,  but  is  often  observed  near 
the  seashore,  seated  on  rocks  which  are  barely  above  high-water  mark. 

Besides  mankind,  the  Hyrax  has  many  foes,  such  as  the  birds  of  prey 
and  carnivorous  quadrupeds,  and  is  destroyed  in  considerable  numbers. 
The  fore-feet  of  this  animal  are  apparently  furnished  with  claws  like 
those  of  the  rabbit,  but  on  a  closer  inspection  the  supposed  claws  are 
seen  to  be  veritable  hoofs,  black  in  color,  and  very  similar  to  those  of 
the  rhinoceros  in  form.  The  Hyrax  is  an  agile  little  creature,  and 
can  climb  a  rugged  tree-trunk  with  great  ease.  It  is  rather  hot  in  its 
temper,  and  if  irritated  becomes  highly  excited,  and  moves  its  teeth 
and  feet  with  remarkable  activity  and  force. 

The  Syrian  Hyrax  is  the  animal  which  is  mentioned  under  the 
name  of  "  coney  "  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  is  found  inhabiting  the 
clefts  and  caverns  of  rocks.  In  its  habits  and  general  appearance  it 
is  very  similar  to  the  Cape  Hyrax,  and  needs  no  further  description. 

The  last  on  the  list  of  the  pachydermatous  animals  is  the  well-known 
Hippopotamus,  or  River  Horse. 

This  enormous  quadruped  is  a  native  of  various  parts  of  Africa,  and 
is  always  found  either  in  water  or  in  its  near  vicinity.  In  absolute 
height  it  is  not  very  remarkable,  as  its  legs  are  extremely  short,  but  the 
actual  bulk  of  its  body  is  very  great  indeed.  The  average  height  of 
a  full-grown  Hippopotamus  is  about  five  feet.  Its  naked  skin  is  dark 
brow^n,  curiously  marked  with  innumerable  lines  like  those  on  "  crackle  " 

23 


266 


THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


china  or  old  oil-paiutiugs,  and  is  also  dappled  with  a  number  of  sooty 
black  spots,  which  cannot  be  seen  except  on  a  close  inspection.  A  vast 
number  of  pores  penetrate  the  skin,  and  exude  a  thick,  oily  liquid, 
which  effectually  serves  to  protect  the  animal  from  the  injurious  effects 
of  the  water  in  which  it  is  so  constantly  immersed.  Some  years  ago, 
when  the  male  Hippopotamus  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  was  young 
and  gentle,  I  patted  his  back,  and  entirely  spoiled  a  pair  of  new  kid 
gloves.  The  mouth  is  enormous,  and  its  size  is  greatly  increased  by 
the  odd  manner  in  which  the  jaw  is  set  in  the  head. 

Within  the  mouth  is  an  array  of  white  gleaming  tusks,  which  have 
a  terrific  appearance,  but  they  are  solely  intended  for  cutting  grass  and 
other  vegetable  substances,  and  are  seldom  employed  as  weapons  of  of- 


The  Hippopotamus  or  Zeekoe  {Hippopotamus  amphibms). 
fence,  except  when  the  animal  is  wounded  or  otherwise  irritated.  The 
incisor  teeth  of  the  lower  jaw  lie  almost  horizontally,  with  their  points 
directed  forward,  and  are  said  to  be  employed  as  crow-bars  in  tearing 
up  the  various  aquatic  plants  on  which  the  animal  feeds.  The  canines 
are  very  large  and  curved,  and  are  worn  obliquely,  in  a  manner  very 
similar  to  the  rodent  type  of  teeth.  Their  shape  is  a  bold  curve,  form- 
ing nearly  the  half  of  a  circle,  and  their  surface  is  deeply  channeled  and 
ridged  on  the  outer  line  of  the  curve,  and  smoother  on  the  face. 

Possessed  of  an  enormous  appetite,  having  a  stomach  that  is  capable 
of  containing  five  or  six  bushels  of  nutriment,  and  furnished  with  such 
powerful  instruments,  the  Hippopotamus  is  a  terrible  nuisance  to  the 


THE  PHATAGIN.  267 

ovvuers  of  cultivated  lands  that  happeu  to  be  near  the  river  in  which 
the  animal  has  taken  up  his  abode. 

The  Hippopotamus  is — as  the  import  of  its  name,  Kiver  Horse,  im- 
plies— most  aquatic  in  its  habits.  It  generally  prefers  fresh  water,  but 
is  not  at  all  averse  to  the  sea,  and  will  sometimes  prefer  salt  water  to 
fresh.  It  is  an  admirable  swimmer  and  diver,  and  is  able  to  remain 
below  the  surface  for  a  very  considerable  length  of  time.  In  common 
with  the  elephant,  it  possesses  the  power  of  sinking  at  will,  which  is  the 
more  extraordinary  when  the  huge  size  of  the  animal  is  taken  into  con- 
sideration. Perhaps  it  may  be  enabled  to  contract  itself  by  an  exer- 
tion of  the  muscles  whenever  it  desires  to  sink,  and  to  return  to  its 
former  dimensions  when  it  wishes  to  return  to  the  surface.  It  mostly 
affects  the  stillest  reaches  of  the  river,  as  it  is  there  less  exposed  to  the 
current,  and  not  so  liable  to  be  swept  down  the  stream  while  asleep.  The 
young  Hippopotamus  is  not  able  to  bear  submersion  so  long  as  its  parent, 
and  is  therefore  carefully  brought  to  the  surface  at  short  intervals  for 
the  purpose  of  breathing.  During  the  first  few  months  of  the  little  an- 
imal's life,  it  takes  its  stand  on  its  mother's  neck,  and  is  borne  by  her 
above  or  through  the  water  as  experience  may  dictate  or  necessity 
require. 

The  Hippopotamus  is  a  gregarious  animal,  collecting  in  herds  of 
twenty  or  thirty  in  number,  and  making  the  air  resound  with  its 
resonant  snorts.  The  snort  of  this  creature  is  a  most  extraordinary 
sound,  and  one  that  is  well  calculated  to  disturb  the  nerves  of  sensitive 
persons,  especially  if  heard  unexpectedly.  The  animals  at  the  Zoolog- 
ical Gardens  make  the  very  roof  ring  with  the  strange  unearthly  sounds 
which  they  emit.  In  the  native  state  it  is  very  difficult  to  ascertain 
even  approximately  the  number  of  a  herd,  as  the  animals  are  contin- 
ually diving  and  rising,  and  never  appear  simultaneously  above  the 
surface  of  the  water. 


DASYPID.^. 

This  small  but  important  family  includes  the  Manis,  the  Armadillo, 
the  Ant-eater,  and  the  Platypus,  or  Duck-bill. 

The  Phatagin  is  one  of  the  numerous  species  that  compose  the 
strange  genus  of  Manis.  All  these  animals  are  covered  with  a  series 
of  horny  plates,  sharp-pointed  and  keen-edged,  that  lie  with  their  points 
directed  toward  the  tail,  and  overlap  each  other  like  the  tiles  upon  the 
roof  of  a  house. 

The  fore-claws  of  the  Phatagin  are  very  large,  and  are  employed  for 
the  purpose  of  tearing  down  the  nests  of  the  termite — or  white  ant,  as 
it  is  more  popularly  called— so  as  to  enable  it  to  feed  upon  the  inmates 
as  they  run  about  in  confusion  at  the  destruction  of  their  premises. 


268 


THE  BAJJERKEIT. 


Ants,  termites,  and  various  insects  are  the  favorite  food  of  the  Pha- 
tagin,  which  sweeps  them  up  by  means  of  its  long  and  extensile  tongue, 
caring  nothing  for  their  formidable  jaws,  the  bite  of  which  is  powerful 
enough  to  drive  a  human  being  almost  distracted  with  pain.  The 
claws  are  employed  not  only  in  destroying  the  nest  of  the  termite,  but 
in  digging  burrows  for  its  own  residence — a  task  for  which  they  are 


The  Phatagin  {Manis  tetradactyla). 

well  adapted  by  reason  of  their  great  size  and  strength,  and  by  the 
vigor  of  the  limbs  to  which  they  are  attached. 

The  Phatagin  is  a  native  of  Western  Africa,  and  is  of  considerable 
dimensions,  reaching  five  feet  in  average  length,  of  which  the  tail  occu- 
pies three  feet.  From  the  great  length  of  the  tail,  it  is  sometimes  called 
the  Long-tailed  Manis. 

The  Bajjerkeit,  or  Short-tailed  Manis,  is  a  native  of  various 
parts  of  India,  and  is  also  found  in  Ceylon.  Of  this  species  Sir  Emer- 
son Tennent  gives  the  following  short  account :  "  Of  tjie  Edentates,  the 
only  example  in  Ceylon  is  the  scaly  ant-eater,  called  by  the  Singalese, 
Caballaya,  but  usually  known  by  its  Malay  name  of  Pengolin,  a  word 
indicative  of  its  faculty  of 'rolling  itself  up'  into  a  compact  ball  by 
bending  its  head  toward  its  stomach,  arching  its  back  into  a  circle,  and 
securing  all  by  a  powerful  hold  of  its  mail-covered  tail.  When  at  lib- 
erty, they  burrow  in  the  dry  ground  to  a  depth  of  seven  or  eight  feet, 
where  they  reside  in  pairs,  and  produce  annually  two  or  three  young. 

"  Of  two  specimens  which  I  kept  alive  at  different  times,  one  from 
the  vicinity  of  Kandy,  about  two  feet  in  length,  was  a  gentle  and  affec- 


THE  COMMON  AKMADILLO. 


269 


donate  creature,  which,  after  wandering  over  the  house  in  search  of 
ants,  would  attract  attention  to  its  wants  by  climbing  up  my  knee,  lay- 
ing hold  of  my  leg  by  its  prehensile  tail.  The  other,  more  than  double 
that  length,  was  caught  in  the  jungle  near  Chilaw,  and  brought  to  me 
in  Colombo.  I  had  always  understood  that  the  Pengolin  was  unable 
to  climb  trees,  but  the  one  last  mentioned  frequently  ascended  a  tree  in 
my  garden  in  search  of  ants,  and  this  is  effected  by  means  of  its  hooked 
feet,  aided  by  an  oblique  grasp  of  the  tail.  The  ants  it  seized  by  ex- 
tending its  round  and  glutinous  tongue  along  their  tracks.  Generally 
speaking,  they  were  quiet  during  the  day,  and  grew  restless  as  evening 
and  night  approached." 

The  Armadillos  are  inhabitants  of  Central  and  Southern  America, 
and  are  tolerably  common  throughout  the  whole  of  the  land  in  which 
they  live.  The  general  structure  of  the  armor  is  similar  in  all  the  spe- 
cies, and  consists  of  three  large  plates  of  horny  covering,  one  being  placed 


The  Armadillo  (Daeypus  sexcinctus). 
on  the  head,  another  on  the  shoulders,  and  the  third  on  the  hind-quar- 
ters.    These  plates  are  connected  by  a  series  of  bony  rings,  variable  in 
number,  overlapping  each  other,  and  permitting  the  animal  to  move 
freely. 

The  Common  Armadillo,  or  Poyou,  is  about  twenty  inches  in  total 
length,  the  tail  occupying  some  six  or  seven  inches.  It  is  very  com- 
mon in  Paraguay,  but  is  not  easily  captured,  owing  to  its  remarkable 
agility,  perseverance,  and  wariness.  Encumbered  as  it  appears  to  be 
with  its  load  of  plate-armor,  it  runs  with  such  speed  that  it  can  hardly 
be  overtaken  by  a  quick-footed  man ;  and  if  it  should  contrive  to  reach 
its  burrow,  it  can  never  be  got  out  except  by  dint  of  hard  work. 
23* 


270 


THE  TAMANOIE. 


The  food  of  the  Armadillo  is  nearly  as  varied  as  that  of  the  swine, 
for  there  are  few  eatable  siibstauces,  whether  vegetable  or  animal, 
which  it  will  not  devour,  provided  they  are  not  too  hard  for  its 
little  teeth.  Various- roots,  potatoes,  and  maize  are  among  its  articles 
of  vegetable  diet,  and  it  will  also  eat  eggs,  worms,  insects,  and  small 
reptiles  of  every  description.  Whenever  wild  cattle  are  slain  the  Ar- 
madillo is  sure  to  make  its  appearance  in  a  short  time  for  the  purpose 
of  devouring  the  offal  which  the  hunter  leaves  on  the  ground.  It  is 
not  at  all  particular  in  taste,  and  devours  the  half-putrid  remains  with 
great  eagerness,  becoming  quite  fat  on  the  revolting  diet. 

As  the  Armadillo  is  a  nocturnal  animal,  its  eyes  are  more  fitted  for 
the  dark  than  for  the  bright  glare  of  sunlight,  which  dazzles  the  crea- 
ture and  sadly  bewilders  it.  If  it  should  be  detected  on  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  and  its  retreat  intercepted  before  it  can  regain  its  hole,  the 
Armadillo  rolls  itself  up  as  best  it  can,  and,  tucking  its  head  under  the 
chest,  draws  in  its  legs  and  awaits  the  result.  Even  when  taken  in 
hand  it  is  not  without  a  last  resource,  for  it  kicks  so  violently  with 
its  powerful  legs  that  it  can  inflict  severe  lacerations  with  the  sharp 
claws. 

The  Ant-eaters,  as  their  name  imports,  feed  very  largely  on  ants, 
as  well  as  on  termites  and  various  other  insects,  their  long  flexible 
tongue  acting  as  a  hand  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  food  into  the 
mouth.  The  tongue  of  the  Ant-eater,  when  protruded  to  its  fullest 
extent,  bears  some  resemblance  to  a  great  earth-worm,  and  as  it  is  em- 
ployed in  its  food-collecting  task  it  coils  and  twists  about  as  if  it  pos- 
sessed a  separate  vitality  of  its  own. 

The  Tamanoir,  or  Great  Ant-eater,  or  Akt  Bear,  is  entirely 
destitute  of  teeth,  possesses  a  wonderfully  elongated  and  narrow  head, 

and  is  thickly  cover- 
ed with  long  coarse 
hair,  w^hich  on  the 
tail  forms  a  heavy 
plume.  The  color  of 
this  animal  is  brown, 
washed  with  gray  on 
the  head  and  face, 
and  interspersed 
with  pure  white  hairs 
The  Tamanoir, OR  Ant  Bear  (i)%rmecop/ia^a>6ato).  OQ  ^jjg   }-jead    body 

and  tail.  The  throat  is  black,  and  a  long  triangular  black  mark  arises 
from  the  throat  und  passes  obliquely  over  the  shoulders.  There  are 
four  toes  on  the  fore-feet,  and  five  on  the  hinder.  In  total  length  it 
measures  between  six  and  seven  feet,  the  tail  being  about  two  feet  six 
inches  long. 


THE  MIDDLE  ANT-EATER  AND  THE  LITTLE  ANT-EATER.    271 

The  claws  of  the  fore-feet  are  extremely  long  and  curved,  and  are 
totally  unfitted  for  locomotion.  AVhen  the  animal  is  not  employing 
these  instruments  in  destroying,  it  folds  the  long  claws  upon  a  thick 
rough  pad  which  is  placed  in  the  palm,  and  seems  to  render  the  exer- 
tion of  walking  less  difficult.  As,  however,  the  Ant  Bear  is  forced  to 
walk  upon  the  outer  edge  of  its  fore-feet,  its  progress  is  a  peculiarly 
awkward  one,  and  cannot  be  kept  up  for  any  long  time.  The  creature 
seems  to  possess  considerable  grasping  power  in  the  toes  of  the  fore- 
limbs,  being  able  to  pick  up  a  small  object  Jn  its  paws.  Though  not  a 
fighter,  it  can  defend  itself  right  well  by  means  of  these  powerful  in- 
struments, and  can  not  only  strike  with  considerable  violence,  but  when 
attacked  by  a  dog  or  similar  enemy,  it  clasps  him  in  such  a  terrific 
grip  that  the  half-suffocated  animal  is  only  too  glad  to  be  able  to  es- 
cape. 

The  Ant  Bear  is  said  to  make  no  burrow,  but  to  content  itself  with 
the  shade  of  its  own  plumy  tail  whenever  it  retires  to  rest.  While 
sleeping  the  creature  looks  very  like  a  rough  bundle  of  hay  thrown 
loosely  on  the  ground,  for  the  hair  of  the  mane  and  tail  is  so  long  and 
so  harsh  that  it  can  hardly  be  recognized  at  the  first  glance  for  the  ver- 
itable coat  of  a  living  animal.  The  eye  of  this  creature  has  a  peculiar 
and  indescribably  cunning  expression.  The  Tamanoir  is  a  native  of 
Guinea,  Brazil,  and  Paraguay. 

The  Middle  Ant-eater,  or  Tamandue,  is  not  so  large  as  the  pre- 
ceding animal,  from  which  it  is  readily  distinguished  by  the  tail,  which 
is  long  and  tapering,  and  almost  devoid  of  hair  except  at  the  base. 
The  tail,  indeed,  is  used  as  an  organ  of  prehension,  to  assist  it  in  climb- 
ing trees — a  feat  which  it  sometimes  performs,  although  not  so  often  as 
the  Little  Ant-eater. 

This  animal  produces  a  strong  scent  of  musk,  which  is  generally 
excited  when  it  is  enraged.  The  scent  is  not  pleasant,  like  that  of  the 
musk  deer,  but  very  disagreeable,  and  can  be  perceived  at  a  consider- 
able distance. 

The  Little  Ant-eatee  is  a  truly  curious  animal.  The  head  of 
this  creature  is  comparatively  short ;  its  body  is  covered  with  fine  silken 
fur,  and  its  entire  length  does  not  exceed  twenty  or  twenty-one  inches. 
The  tail  is  well  furred,  excepting  three  inches  of  the  under  surface  at 
the  extremity,  which  is  employed  as  the  prehensile  portion  of  that 
member,  and  is  capable  of  sustaining  the  weight  of  the  body  as  it 
swings  from  a  branch.  On  looking  at  the  skeleton,  a  most  curious 
structure  presents  itself.  On  a  side  view,  the  cavity  of  the  chest  is 
completely  hidden  by  the  ribs,  which  are  greatly  flattened,  and  overlap 
each  other  so  that  on  a  hasty  glance  the  ribs  appear  to  be  formed  of  one 
solid  piece  of  bone.  There  are  only  two  claws  on  the  fore-feet,  and  four 
on  the  hinder  limbs. 


272  THE  MULLINGONG. 

The  Little  Ant-eater  is  a  native  of  tropical  America,  and  is  always 
to  be  found  on  trees,  where  it  generally  takes  up  its  residence,  and 
where  it  finds  its  sustenance.  It  possesses  many  squirrel-like  customs, 
using  its  fore-claws  with  great  dexterity,  and  hooking  the  smaller 
insects  out  of  the  bark  crevices  in  which  they  have  taken  unavailing 
refuge.  While  thus  employed  it  sits  upon  its  hind-limbs,  supporting 
itself  with  its  prehensile  tail.  The  claws  are  compressed,  curved,  and 
very  sharp,  and  the  little  animal  can  use  these  instruments  with  some 
force  as  offensive  weapons,  and  can  strike  smart  blows  with  them.  It 
is  a  bold  little  creature,  attacking  the  nests  of  wasps,  putting  its  little  paw 
into  the  combs,  and  dragging  the  grubs  from  their  cells. 

Like  its  larger  relations,  it  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  and  sleeps  during 
the  day  with  its  tail  safely  twisted  round  the  branch  on  which  it  sits. 
The  generic  name,  Cyclothurus,  signifies  "  twisted  tail,"  and  is  very 
appropriate  to  the  animal. 

There  are  few  animals  which  have  attracted  such  universal  attention, 
from  both  scientific  men  and  the  reading  world  in  general,  as  the 
MuLLiNGONG,  DucK-BiLL,  or  Platypus,  of  Australia.  This  little 
creature,  the  largest  being  but  twenty-two  inches  in  length,  has  excited 
more  interest  than  animals  of  a  thousand  times  its  dimensions,  on 
account  of  its  extraordinary  shape  and  singular  habits.  It  is  most 
appropriately  called  the  Duck-bill,  on  account  of  the  curious  develop- 
ment of  the  intermaxillary  bones,  which  are  very  much  flattened  and 
elongated,  and  their  ends  turned  inward  in  a  kind  of  angular  hook. 
The  lower  jaw  is  also  lengthened  and  flattened,  although  not  to  such 
an  extent  as  the  upper,  and  the  bones  are  covered  with  a  naked  skin. 

In  the  stuffed  and  dried  specimens  the  "  beak  "  appears  as  if  it  were 
composed  of  the  black  leather  taken  from  an  old  shoe,  but  in  the  living 
animal  it  presents  a  very  different  aspect,  being  soft,  rounded,  and  of 
a  pinky  hue  at  its  tip,  mottled  with  a  number  of  little  spots.  Dr. 
Bennett,  to  whom  the  zoological  world  is  so  much  indebted  for  his  re^ 
searches  into  the  habits  of  this  curious  animal,  kindly  showed  me  some 
excellent  drawings,  which  gave  a  very  different  idea  of  the  animal 
from  that  which  is  obtained  by  the  examination  of  stuffed  skins.  The 
beak  is  well  supplied  with  nerves,  and  appears  to  be  a  sensitive  organ 
of  touch,  by  means  of  which  the  animal  is  enabled  to  feel  as  well  as  to 
smell  the  insects  and  other  creatures  on  which  it  feeds. 

The  MuUingong  is  an  essentially  aquatic  and  burrowing  animal,  and 
is  formed  expressly  for  its  residence  in  the  water  or  under  the  earth. 
The  fur  is  thick  and  soft,  and  is  readily  dried  while  the  animal  enjoys 
good  health,  although  it  becomes  wet  and  draggled  when  the  creature 
is  weakly.  The  opening  of  the  ears  is  small  and  can  be  closed  at  will, 
and  the  feet  are  furnished  with  large  and  complete  webs,  extending  be- 
yond the  claws  in  the  fore-limbs,  and  to  their  base  in  the  hind-legs.    The 


THE   MULLINGONG. 


273 


fore-feet  are  employed  for  digging  as  well  as  for  swimming,  and  are 
therefore  armed  with  powerful  claws  rather  more  than  half  an  inch  in 
length,  and  rounded  at  their  extremities.  With  such  force  can  these 
natural  tools  be  used  that  the  Duck-bill  has  been  seen  to  make  a  bur- 
row two  feet  in  length  through  hard  gravelly  soil  in  the  space  of  ten 
minutes.  While  digging  the  animal  employs  its  beak  as  well  as  its  feet, 
and  the  webbed  membrane  contracts  between  the  joints  so  as  not  to  be 
seen.  The  hind-feet  of  the  male  are  furnished  with  a  spur,  about  an 
inch  in  length,  curved,  perforated,  and  connected  with  a  gland  situated 
near  the  ankle.     It  was  once  supposed  that  this  spur  conveyed  a  poison- 


■!6^t-J^ 


The  Duck-bill  or  Mvliasgosg  {Pl<(typiis  Ayiatinus). 

ous  liquid  into  the  wound  which  it  made,  but  this  opinion  has  been  dis- 
proved by  Dr.  Bennett,  who  frequently  permitted,  and  even  forced,  the 
animal  to  wound  him  with  its  spurs,  and  experienced  no  ill-consequences 
beyond  the  actual  wound.  The  animal  has  the  power  of  folding  back 
the  spur  so  as  to  conceal  it  entirely,  and  is  then  sometimes  mistaken  for 
a  female. 

The  color  of  the  adult  animal  is  a  soft  dark  brown,  interspersed  with 
a  number  of  glistening  points  which  are  produced  by  the  long  and  shin- 
ing hairs  which  protrude  through  the  inner  fur. 


274  THE  ECHIDNA  AND  THE  COMMON  SLOTH. 

The  food  of  the  Mullingong  consists  of  worms,  water  insects,  and  lit- 
tle molluscs,  which  it  gathers  in  its  cheek-pouches  as  long  as  it  is  en- 
gaged in  its  search  for  food,  and  then  eats  quietly  when  it  rests  from  its 
labors.  The  teeth — if  teeth  they  may  be  called — of  this  animal  are 
very  peculiar,  consisting  of  four  horny  channeled  plates,  two  in  each 
jaw,  which  serve  to  crush  the  fragile  shells  and  coverings  of  the  animals 
on  which  it  feeds.  It  seems  seldom  to  feed  during  the  day  or  in  the 
depth  of  night,  preferring  for  that  purpose  the  first  dusk  of  evening  or 
the  dawn  of  morning.  During  the  rest  of  the  day  it  is  generally  asleep. 
While  sleeping  it  curls  itself  into  a  round  ball,  the  tail  shutting  down 
over  the  head  and  serving  to  protect  it. 

The  young  Mullingongs  are  curious  little  creatures,  with  soft,  short, 
flexible  beaks,  naked  skins,  and  almost  unrecognizable  as  the  children 
of  their  long-nosed  parents.  When  they  attain  to  the  honor  of  their 
first  coat,  they  are  most  playful  little  things,  knocking  each  other  about 
like  kittens,  and  rolling  on  the  ground  in  the  exuberance  of  their  mirth. 
Their  little  twinkling  eyes  are  not  well  adapted  for  daylight,  nor,  from 
their  position,  can  they  see  spots  directly  in  their  front,  so  that  a  pair  of 
these  little  creatures  that  were  kept  by  Dr.  Bennett  used  to  bump  them- 
selves against  the  chairs,  tables,  or  any  other  object  that  might  be  in 
their  way.  They  bear  a  further  similitude  to  the  cat  in  their  scru- 
pulous cleanliness  and  the  continual  washing  and  pecking  of  their 
fur. 

The  Echidna  is  found  in  several  parts  of  Australia,  where  it  is  pop- 
ularly called  the  hedgehog,  on  account  of  the  hedgehog-like  spines  with 
which  the  body  is  so  thickly  covered,  and  its  custom  of  rolling  itself  up 
when  alarmed.  A  number  of  coarse  hairs  are  intermingled  with  the 
spines,  and  the  head  is  devoid  of  these  weapons.  The  head  is  strangely 
lengthened,  in  a  manner  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  Ant-eater,  and 
there  are  no  teeth  of  any  kind  in  the  jaws. 

The  food  of  the  Echidna  consists  of  ants  and  other  insects,  which  it 
gathers  into  its  mouth  by  means  of  the  long  extensile  tongue.  It  is  a 
burrowing  animal,  and  is  therefore  furnished  with  limbs  and  claws  of 
proportionate  strength.  Indeed,  Lieutenant  Breton,  who  kept  one  of 
these  animals  for  some  time,  considers  it  as  the  strongest  quadruped  in 
existence  in  proportion  to  its  size.  On  moderately  soft  ground  it  can 
hardly  be  captured,  for  it  gathers  all  its  legs  under  its  body,  and  em- 
ploys its  digging  claws  with  such  extraordinary  vigor  that  it  sinks  into 
the  ground  as  if  by  magic.  The  Echidna  is  tolerably  widely  spread 
over  the  sandy  wastes  of  Australia,  but  has  not  been  seen  in  the  more 
northern  portions  of  that  country. 

In  the  last  group  of  the  mammalia  we  find  a  very  remarkable  struc- 
ture, adapted  to  serve  a  particular  end,  and  misunderstood  by  zoologists. 
The  Common  Sloth,  sometimes  called  the  Two-toed  Sloth,  is  a  na- 


THE  COMMON  SLOTH. 


275 


tive  of  the  West  Indies,  where  it  is  not  very  often  seen,  although  it  is 
not  a  very  uncommon  animal. 

The  peculiarity  to  be  noticed  in  all  the  Sloths,  of  which  there  are 
several  species,  is  that  they  pass  the  whole  of  their  lives  suspended, 
with  their  backs  downward,  from  the  branches  of  trees.  The  Sloth 
never  gets  upon  a  bough,  but  simply  hooks  his  curved  talons  over  it, 
and  hangs  in  perfect  security.  In  order  to  enable  the  animal  to  sus- 
pend itself  without  danger  of  falling,  the  limbs  are  enormously  strong, 
the  fore-legs  are  remarkable  for  their  length,  and  the  toes  of  all  four 
feet  are  furnished  with  strong  curved  claws.  Upon  the  ground  the 
Sloth  is  entirely  out  of  its  element,  as  its  limbs  are  wholly  unadapted 
for  supporting  the  weight  of  the  body,  and   its   long  claws  cannot  be 


The  Sloth  [Cholcepus  didactylus). 

employed  as  adjuncts  to  the  feet.  The  only  manner  in  which  a  Sloth 
can  advance  when  he  is  unfortunately  placed  in  such  a  position  is  by 
hitching  his  claws  into  any  depression  that  may  afford  him  a  hold,  and 
so  dragging  himself  slowly  and  painfully  forward.  On  the  trees,  how- 
ever, he  is  quite  a  different  creature,  full  of  life  and  animation,  and 
traversing  the  branches  at  a  speed  which  is  anything  but  slothful.  The 
Sloth  travels  best  in  windy  weather,  because  the  branches  of  trees  are 
blown  against  each  other,  and  permit  the  animal  to  pass  from  one  tree 
to  another  without  descending  to  the  ground. 

The  food  of  the  Sloth  consists  of  leaves,  buds,  and  young  shoots.  It 
appears  to  stand  in  no  need  of  water,  being  satisfied  with  the  moisture 
which  clings  to  the  herbage  on  which  it  feeds.  In  gathering  the  leaves 
and  drawing  the  branches  within  reach,  the  Sloth  makes  great  use  of 
its  fore-paws,  which,  however  helpless  upon  the  ground,  can  here  be 


276  THE  AI. 

managed  with  great  dexterity.  It  is  very  tenacious  of  life,  and  is 
protected  from  any  injury  which  it  might  receive  from  falls  by  the  pe- 
culiar structure  of  its  skull.     In  length  it  is  about  two  feet. 

The  Ai,  or  Three-toed  Sloth,  is  an  inhabitant  of  South  America, 
and  is  more  common  than  the  preceding  animal,  from  which  it  can 
easily  be  distinguished  by  the  third  toe  on  its  feet.  The  color  of  this 
animal  is  rather  variable,  but  is  generally  of  a  brownish  gray,  slightly 
variegated  by  differently-tinted  hairs,  and  the  head  and  face  being 
darker  than  the  body  and  limbs.  The  hair  has  a  curious  hay-like 
aspect,  being  coarse,  flat,  and  harsh  toward  the  extremity,  although 
it  is  very  fine  toward  the  root.  Owing  to  the  color  and  structure  of 
the  hair,  the  Ai  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  bough  under 
which  it  hangs,  and  owes  much  of  its  safety  to  this  happy  resemblance; 
for  its  flesh  is  very  good,  and,  in  consequence,  the  poor  creature^  is 
dreadfully  persecuted  by  the  natives,  as  well  as  by  the  white  hunters. 
The  cry  of  this  creature  is  low  and  plaintive,  and  is  thought  to  resem- 
ble the  sound  Ai.  The  head  is  short  and  round,  the  eyes  deeply  sunk 
in  the  head,  and  nose  large  and  very  moist. 

The  young  of  the  Ai,  as  well  as  those  of  the  other  Sloths,  cling  to 
their  mother  as  soon  as  they  are  born,  and  are  carried  about  by  her 
until  they  are  able  to  transfer  their  weight  from  their  parent  to  the 
branches.  Several  other  species  of  Sloths  are  known  to  exist,  but  all 
are  similar  in  appearance  and  habits. 


BIRDS. 


U 


BIRDS. 

The  most  conspicuous  external  characteristic  by  which  the  Birds 
are  distinguished  from  all  other  inhabitants  of  earth  is  the  feathery  robe 
which  invests  their  bodies,  and  which  serves  the  double  purpose  of  cloth- 
ing and  progression. 

The  fuller  and  more  technical  description  of  the  Birds  runs  as  follows : 
They  are  vertebrate  animals,  but  do  not  suckle  their  young.  The  young 
are  not  produced  in  an  actively  animated  state,  but  inclosed  in  the  egg, 
from  which  they  do  not  emerge  until  they  have  been  warmed  into  inde- 
pendent life  by  the  effects  of  constant  warmth.  Generally,  the  eggs  are 
hatched  by  means  of  the  natural  warmth  which  proceeds  from  the 
mother-bird ;  but  in  some  instances,  such  as  that  of  the  Tallegalla  of 
Australia,  the  eggs  are  placed  in  a  vast  heap  of  dead  leaves  and  grass, 
and  developed  by  means  of  the  heat  which  is  exhaled  from  decaying 
vegetable  substances. 

BIRDS   OF    PREY.— VULTURES. 

By  common  consent  Vultures  take  the  first  rank  among  Birds,  and 
in  the  catalogue  of  the  British  Museum  the  Lammergeyer,  or  Beard- 
ed Vulture,  stands  first  upon  the  list. 

This  magnificent  bird  is  a  native  of  Southern  Ei^rope  and  Western 
Asia,  and  often  attains  a  very  great  size,  the  expanse  of  its  wings  being 
sometimes  as  much  as  ten  feet,  and  its  length  nearly  ibur  feet. 

The  name  of  Bearded  Vulture  has  been  given  to  the  Lammergeyer 
on  account  of  the  tufts  of  long  and  stiff  bristle-like  luiirs  which  take  rise 
at  the  nostrils  and  beneath  the  bill,  and  form  a  very  prominent  charac- 
teristic of  the  species. 

The  color  of  the  Lammergeyer  is  a  gray-brown,  curiously  dashed 

with  white  upon  the  upper  surface,  in  consequence  of  a  white  streak 

which  runs  along  the  centre  of  each  feather.     The  under  surface  of 

the  body,  together  with  the  neck,  is  nearly  white,  tinged  with  a  wash 

of  reddish   brown,  which  is  variable  in  depth  in  different  individuals. 

In  the  earlier  stages  of  its  existence  the  Lammergeyer  is  of  a  much 

darker  hue,  and   the  white  dashes  upon  the  back  are  not  so  purely 

white  or  so  clearly  defined.     The  head  and  neck  are  dark  brown,  and 

the  brown  hue  of  the  back  is  of  so  deep  a  tint  that  the  young  bird  has 

been  classed  as  a  separate  species,  under  the  title  of  Vidtur  niger,  oi 

Black  Vulture, 

279 


280 


THE  CONDOR. 


Although  not  exceeding  the  Laramergeyer  in  dimensions,  the  CoN« 
DOR  has  long  been  celebrated  as  a  giant  among  birds,  the  expanse  of 
its  wings  being  set  dowii  at  eighteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  its  length  ex- 
aggerated in  the  same  proportion.  In  reality,  the  expanse  of  a  large 
Condor's  wings  will  very  seldom  reach  eleven  feet,  and  the  average  ex- 
tent is  from  eight  to  nine  feet. 

The  general  color  of  the  Condor  is  a  grayish  black,  variable  in  depth 
and  glossiness  in  different  individuals.     The  upper  wing-coverts  are 

marked  with 
white,  which 
take  a  grayer  tint 
in  the  female, 
and  the  exterior 
edges  of  the  sec- 
ondaries are  also 
white.  The 
adult  male  bird 
may  easily  be 
distinguished  by 
the  amount  of 
white  upon  the 
feathers,  so  that 
the  wings  are 
marked  with  a 
large  white 
patch.  Around 
the  neck  is  set  a 
beautifully  white 
downy  collar  of 
soft  feathers, 
2^  wliich  does  not 
g  entirely  inclose 
^  t  h  e  neck,  but 
fe  leaves  a  small 
naked  band  in 
The  Young  Male  Condor.  front.       This 

featherless  band  is,  however,  so  small  that  it  is  not  perceptible  except 
by  a  close  examination. 

The  crest  of  the  male  Condor  is  of  considerable  size,  occupying  the 
top  of  the  head  and  extending  over  a  fourth  of  the  basal  portion  of 
the  beak. 

The  Condor  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  mountain-chain  of  the  Andes, 
and  is  celebrated  not  only  for  its  strength  and  dimensions,  but  for  its 
love  of  elevated  localities.     When  enjoying  the  unrestricted  advantages 


THE  KING  VULTUEE.  281 

of  its  native  home,  it  is  seldom  found  lower  than  the  line  of  perpetual 
snow,  and  seems  to  seek  lower  and  more  temperate  regions  only  when 
driven  by  hunger  to  make  a  raid  on  the  flocks  or  the  wild  quadrupeds 
of  its  native  country.  Although  preferring  carrion  to  the  flesh  of 
recently-killed  animals,  the  Condor  is  a  terrible  pest  to  the  cattle- 
keeper,  for  it  will  frequently  make  an  attack  upon  a  cow  or  a  bull, 
and  by  dint  of  constant  worrying  force  the  poor  beast  to  succumb. 
Two  of  these  birds  will  attack  a  vicugna,  a  deer,  or  even  the  formida- 
ble puma,  and,  as  they  direct  their  assaults  chiefly  upon  the  eyes,  they 
soon  succeed  in  blinding  their  prey,  who  rapidly  falls  under  the  terrible 
blows  which  are  delivered  by  the  beaks  of  its  assailants. 

The  Condor  deposits  its  eggs — for  it  makes  no  nest  whatever — upon 
a  bare  shelf  of  some  lofty  rock.  The  eggs  are  two  in  number,  grayish 
white  in  color,  and  are  laid  about  November  or  December.  When  the 
young  Condor  is  hatched  it  is  nearly  naked,  but  is  furnished  with  a 
scanty  covering  of  down,  which  in  a  short  time  becomes  very  plentiful, 
enveloping  the  body  in  a  complete  vestment  of  soft  black  plumage. 
The  deep  black-gray  of -the  adult  bird  is  not  attained  until  a  lapse  of 
three  years,  the  color  of  the  plumage  being  a  yellowish  brown. 

The  King  Vulture  has  gained  its  regal  title  from  a  supposition, 
which  is  prevalent  among  the  natives  of  the  country  which  it  inhabits, 
that  it  wields  royal  sway  over  the  aura,  or  zopilote  Vultures,  and  that 
the  latter  birds  will  not  venture  to  touch  a  dead  carcase  until  the  King 
Vulture  has  taken  his  share.  There  is  some  truth  for  this  supposition, 
for  the  King  Vulture  will  not  permit  any  other  bird  to  begin  its  meal 
until  its  own  hunger  is  satisfied.  The  same  habit  may  be  seen  in  many 
other  creatures,  the  more  powerful  lording  it  over  the  weaker,  and 
leaving  them  only  the  remains  of  the  feast  instead  of  permitting  them 
to  partake  of  it  on  equal  terms.  But  if  the  King  Vulture  should  not 
happen  to  be  present  when  the  dead  animal  has  reached  a  state  of 
decomposition  which  renders  it  palatable  to  vulturine  tastes,  the  sub- 
ject Vultures  would  pay  but  little  regard  to  the  privileges  of  their 
absent  monarch,  and  would  leave  him  but  a  slight  prospect  of  getting 
a  meal  on  the  remains  of  the  feast. 

Waterton,  who  often  mentions  this  species  in  his  interesting  works, 
gives  several  curious  instances  of  the  sway  which  the  King  Vulture 
exercises  over  the  inferior  birds.  "  When  I  had  done  with  the  carcase 
of  the  large  snake,  it  was  conveyed  into  the  forest,  as  I  expected  that 
it  would  attract  the  king  of  the  Vultures,  as  soon  as  time  should  have 
rendered  it  suflficiently  savory.  In  a  few  days  it  sent  forth  the  odor 
which  a  carcase  should  send  forth,  and  about  twenty  of  the  common 
Vultures  came  and  perched  on  the  neighboring  trees.  The  king  of 
the  Vultures  came  too,  and  I  observed  that  none  of  the  common  ones 
seemed  inclined  to  begin  breakfast  until  His  Majesty  had  finished. 
24* 


282 


THE  KING  VULTURE. 


Wiieu  he  had  consumed  as  much  snake  as  nature  informed  him  would 
do  him  good,  he  retired  to  the  top  of  a  high  mora  tree,  and  then  all  the 
common  Vultures  fell  to  and  made  a  hearty  meal." 

The  King  Vulture  is  a  native  of  tropical  America,  and  is  most 
common  near  the  equator,  though   it  is  found  as  far  as  the  thirtieth 

degree  of  south  latitude,  and 
the  thirty-second  of  north 
latitude.  Peru,  Brazil,  Gui- 
ana, Paraguay,  and  Mexico 
are  the  chosen  residences  of 
this  fine  species.  It  is  a  forest- 
loving  bird,  caring  nothing  for 
the  lofty  home  of  the  condor, 
but  taking  up  its  residence 
upon  the  low  and  heavily- 
wooded  regions  in  close  prox- 
imity to  swampy  and  marshy 
places,  where  it  is  most  likely 
to  find  abundance  of  dead  and 
putrefying  animal  substances. 
Its  nest,  or  rather  the  spot  on 
which  it  deposits  its  eggs,  is 
within  the  hollow  of  some  de- 
caying tree.  The  eggs  are  two 
in  number. 

In  its  adult  state  the  King 
Vulture  is  a  most  gorgeously- 
decorated  bird,  though  its  gen- 
eral aspect  and  the  whole  ex- 
pression of  its  demeanor  are 
rather  repulsive  tlian  other- 
wise. The  greater  part  of 
The  King  \vL,TVRi:  {Sarcorhamphus  Papa),   the    feathers    upon    the   back 

are  of  a  beautiful  satiny 
white,  tinged  more  or  less  deeply  with  fawn,  and  the  abdomen  is  of  a 
pure  white.  On  account  of  its  color,  the  bird  is  termed  the  White 
Crow  by  the  Spaniards  of  Paraguay.  The  long  pinions  of  the  wing 
and  tail  are  deep  black,  and  the  base  of  the  neck  is  surrounded  with 
a  thick  ruff  or  collar  of  downy  gray  feathers. 

The  most  brilliant  tints  are,  however,  those  of  the  naked  skin  of  the 
head  and  neck.  "  The  throat  and  back  of  the  neck,"  says  Waterton, 
"are  of  a  fine  lemon-color;  both  sides  of  the  neck,  from  the  ears  down- 
ward, of  a  rich  scarlet ;  behind  the  corrugated  part  there  is  a  white 
spot.     The  crown  of  the  head  is  scarlet ;  betwixt  the  lower  mandible 


THE  FULVOUS  VULTURE. 


283 


and  the  eye,  and  close  by  the  ear,  there  is  a  part  which  has  a  fine  sil- 
very-blue appearance.  Just  above  the  white  spot  a  portion  of  the  skin 
is  blue,  and  the  rest  scarlet ;  the  skin  which  juts  out  behind  the  neck, 
and  appears  like  an  oblong  carbuncle,  is  blue  in  part,  and  part  orange. 
The  bill  is  orange  and  black,  the  caruncles  on  the  forehead  orange,  and 
the  cere  orange,  the  orbits  scarlet,  and  the  irides  white." 

These  gorgeous  tints  belong  only  to  the  adult  bird  of  four  years  old, 
and  in  the  previous  years  of  its  life  the  colors  are  very  obscure.  In 
the  first  year,  for  example,  the  general  color  is  deep  blue-gray,  the  ab- 
domen white,  and  the  crest  hardly  distinguishable  for  eitlier  its  color 
or  its  size.  In  the  second  year  of  its  age  the  plumage  of  the  bird  is 
nearly  black,  diversified  with  white  spots,  and  the  naked  portions  of 
the  head  and  neck  are  violet-black  interspersed  with  a  few  dashes  of 
yellow.  The  third  year  gives  the  bird  a  very  near  approach  to  the 
beautiful  satin  fawn  of  the  adult  plumage,  the  back  being  of  nearly 
the  same  hue  as  that  of  the  four-year-old  bird,  but  marked  with  many 
of  the  blue-black  feath- 
ers of  the  second  year. 
When  full  grown,  the 
King  Vulture  is  about 
the  size  of  an  ordinary 
goose. 

The  Fulvous  or 
Griffin  Vulture  is 
one  of  the  most  familiar 
of  these  useful  birds, 
being  spread  widely 
over  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  Old  World,  and 
found  in  very  many  por- 
tions of  Europe,  Asia, 
and  Africa. 

It  is  one  of  the  large 
Vultures,  measuring 
four  feet  in  length,  and 
its  expanse  of  wing  be- 
ing exceedingly  wide. 
Like  many  of  its  rela- 
tions, it  is  a  high-roving 
bird,  loving  to  rise  out 
of  the  ken  of  ordinary  eyes,  and  from  that  vast  elevation  to  view  the 
panorama  which  lies  beneath  its  gaze — not,  however,  for  the  purpose 
of  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  prospect,  but  for  the  more  sensual  object 
of  seeking  for  food.     Whenever  it  has  discovered  a  dead  or  dying  an- 


The  Fulvous  or  Griffin  Vulture  ( Gyps  fulms). 


284  THE  VULTURE. 

imal,  the  Vulture  takes  its  stand  on  some  adjoining  tree  or  rock,  and 
there  patiently  awaits  the  time  when  decomposition  shall  render  the 
skin  sufficiently  soft  to  permit  the  entrance  of  the  eager  beak.  As 
soon  as  its  olfactory  organs  tell  of  that  desired  change,  the  Vulture 
descends  upon  its  prey,  and  will  not  retire  until  it  is  so  gorged  with  food 
that  it  can  hardly  stir.  If  it  be  suddenly  attacked  while  in  this  condi- 
tion, it  can  easily  be  overtaken  and  killed  ;  but  if  a  pause  of  a  few  min- 
utes only  be  allowed,  the  bird  ejects  by  a  spasmodic  effort  the  load  of 
food  which  it  has  taken  into  its  interior,  and  is  then  ready  for  flight. 

A  controversy  has  long  raged  concerning  the  manner  in  which  the 
Vulture  obtains  knowledge  of  the  presence  of  food.  Some  naturalists 
assert  that  the  wonderful  powers  of  food-finding  which  are  possessed 
by  the  Vulture  are  owing  wholly  to  the  eyes,  while  others  as  warmly 
attribute  to  the  nose  this  curious  capability.  Others,  again,  desirous 
of  steering  a  middle  course,  believe  that  the  eyes  and  the  nostrils  give 
equal  aid  in  this  never-ending  duty  of  finding  food,  and  many  exper- 
iments have  been  made  with  a  view  to  extracting  the  real  truth  of  the 
matter.  The  following  account  has  been  kindly  transmitted  to  me  by 
Colonel  Drayson,  R.  A.,  who  has  already  contributed  much  original  in- 
formation to  the  present  work : 

"  Having  shot  an  ourebi  early  in  the  morning,  and  when  about  three 
miles  from  home,  I  was  not  desirous  of  carrying  the  animal  behind  my 
saddle  during  the  day's  shooting,  and  I  therefore  sought  for  some  method 
of  concealment  by  which  to  preserve  the  dead  quarry  from  jackals  and 
Vultures.  An  ant  bear's  hole  offered  a  very  convenient  hiding-place, 
into  which  the  buck  was  pushed,  and  the  carcase  was  covered  over 
with  some  grass  cut  for  the  purpose.  As  usual  in  South  Africa, 
there  were  some  Vultures  wheeling  round  at  an  enormous  height 
above  the  horizon ;  these  I  believed  would  soon  come  down  and 
push  aside  the  grass  and  tear  off  the  most  assailable  parts  of  the 
buck.  There  was,  however,  no  better  means  of  protection,  so  I  left 
the  animal  and  rode  away.  When  at  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  ant  bear's  hole,  I  thought  that  it  might  be  interesting  to 
watch  how  the  Vultures  would  approach  and  commence  operations, 
so  I  '  off-saddled '  and  kept  watch. 

"  After  about  half  an  hour,  I  saw  a  Vulture  coming  down  from  the 
sky  followed  by  two  or  three  others.  They  came  down  to  the  spot 
where  the  buck  had  been  killed,  and  flew  past  this.  They  then  re- 
turned, and  again  overshot  the  mark.  After  circling  several  times 
within  a  radius  of  four  hundred  yards,  they  flew  away.  Other  Vul- 
tures then  came  and  performed  similar  manoeuvres,  but  not  one  ap- 
peared to  know  where  the  buck  was  concealed.  I  then  rode  off  to  a 
greater  distance,  but  the  same  results  occurred. 

"  In  the  evening  I  returned  for  my  buck,  which,  however,  was  totally 


THE  TUKKEY  BUZZARD. 


285 


useless  in  consequence  of  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun,  but  which  had  not 
been  touched  by  the  Vultures." 

One  of  the  best  known  of  the  Vultures  is  the  Turkey  Buzzard, 
more  rightly  termed  the  Carrion  Vulture.  Its  name  of  Turkey 
Buzzard  is  earned  from  the  strange  resemblance  which  a  Carrion  Vul- 
ture bears  to  a  turkey,  as  it  walks  slowly  and  with  a  dignified  air, 
stretching  its  long  bare  neck,  and  exhibiting  the  fleshy  appendages 
which  bear  some  likeness  to  the  wattles  of  the  turkey.  This  bird  is 
found  chiefly  in  North  America,  but  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  Jamaica, 
where  it  is  popularly  known  as  the  John  Crow. 

The  nest  of  the  Turkey  Buzzard  is  a  very  inartistical  afl^air,  consist- 
ing merely  of  some  suitable  hollow  tree  or  decayed  log,  in  which  there 


Turkey  Buzzard 

{Catharista  Aura). 


Black  Vulture 

(  Vultur  niger). 


may  be  a  depression  of  sufficient  depth  to  contain  the  eggs.  In  this 
simple  cradle  the  female  deposits  from  two  to  four  eggs,  which  are  of 
a  dull  cream-white,  blotched  with  irregular  chocolate  splashes,  which 
seem  to  congregate  toward  the  larger  end.  The  young  birds  are 
covered  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  white  down. 

The  adult  Turkey  Buzzard  is  a  rather  large  bird,  measuring  two  feet 
six  inches  in  length,  and  six  feet  ten  inches  across  the  expanded  wings. 
The  weight  is  about  five  pounds.  The  general  color  of  the  plumage  is 
black,  mingled  with  brown,  the  secondaries  being  slightly  tipped  with 
white,  and  a  few  of  the  coverts  edged  with  the  same  tint.  On  the  neck, 
the  back,  the  shoulders,  and  the  scapularies,  the  black  hue  is  shot  with 
bronze,  green,  and  purple.  Beneath  the  thick  plumage  is  a  light  coat- 
ing of  soft  white  down,  which  apparently  serves  to  preserve  the  crea- 
ture at  a  proper  temperature.  The  bare  skin  of  the  neck  is  not  as 
wrinkled  as  in  several  Vultures,  and  the  feathers  make  a  complete 


286 


AKABIAN  VULTUKE  AND  ALPINE  VULTUKE. 


ring  round  the  neck.     There  is  but  little  difference  in  the  plumage  of 
the  two  sexes,  but  the  bill  of  the  male  is  pure  white. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  true  Vultures,  the  best  known  of  which  is  the 
common  Arabian  Vulture,  a  bird  which  is  spread  over  a  very  large 
portion  of  the  globe,  being  found  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa. 

It  is  a  large  bird,  measuring  nearly  four  feet  in  length,  and  the  ex- 
pansion of  its  wings  being  proportionately  wide.  The  general  color  of 
this  species  is  a  chocolate  brown,  the  naked  portions  of  the  neck  and 
head  are  of  a  bluish  hue,  and  it  is  specially  notable  for  a  tuft  of  long 
soft  feathers  which  spring  from  the  insertion  of  the  wings.  In  spite  of 
its  large  size  and  great  muscular  powers,  the  Arabian  Vulture  is  not  a 
dangerous  neighbor  even  to  the  farmer,  for,  unless  it  is  pressed  by  severe 
hunger,  it  seems  to  have  rather  a  dread  of  living  animals,  and  contents 
itself  with  feeding  on  any  carrion  which  may  come  in  its  way.  Some- 
times, however,  after  a  protracted  fast,  its  fears  are  overruled  by  its 
hunger,  and  the  bird  makes  a  raid  upon  the  sheep-folds  or  the  goat-flocks, 
in  the  hope  of  carrying  off"  a  tender  lamb  or  kid. 

The  usual  haunts  of  this  species  are  situated  on  the  mountain-tops, 
and  the  bird  does  not  descend  into  the  valleys  except  when  pressed  by 
hunger. 

The  specific  title  of  3Io7iachus,  or  "  monk,"  has  been  given  to  this 
species  on  account  of  the  hood-like  ruff"  around  its  neck,  which  is  thought 
to  bear  a  fanciful  resemblance  to  the  hood  of  a  monk. 

The  Alpine  or  Egyptian  Vulture  is,  as  its  name  imports,  an  in- 
habitant of  Egypt  and  Southern  Europe.     It  is  also  found  in  many 

parts  of  Asia,  and,  as  it  has 
once  been  captured  on  our 
shores,  has  been  placed  in  the 
list  of  British  birds. 

The  general  color  of  the 
adult  bird  is  nearly  white 
with  the  exception  of  the 
quill  feathers  of  the  wing, 
which  are  dark  brown.  The 
face,  bill,  and  legs  are  bright 
yellow,  so  that  the  aspect  of 
the  bird  is  sufl[iciently  curious. 
The  sexes  are  clothed  alike 
when  adult.  On  account  of 
the  color  of  its  plumagp,  the  Egyptian  Vulture  is  popularly  termed  the 
White  Crow  by  the  Dutch  colonists,  and  Akbobas,  or  "  White 
Father,"  by  the  Turks.  It  is  also  familiarly  known  by  the  name  of 
Pharaoh's  Chicken,  because  it  is  so  frequently  represented  in  the 


The  Alpine  or  Egyptian  Vulture 

(Neophron  percnopterus). 


THE  GOLDEN  EAGLE.  287 

hieroglyphical  inscriptions  of  Egypt.  When  young  the  color  of  its 
plumage  is  a  chocolate  brown,  tte  neck  and  shoulders  are  covered  with 
gray-tipped  feathers,  and  the  beak  and  feet  are  a  very  dull  ochry  yellow. 
The  white  plumage  of  the  adult  state  is  not  attained  until  the  bird  has 
completed  its  third  year. 

As  is  the  case  with  the  Vultures  in  general,  the  Egyptian  Vulture  is 
protected  from  injury  by  the  strictest  laws,  a  heavy  penalty  being  laid 
upon  any  one  who  should  wilfully  destroy  one  of  these  useful  birds. 
Secure  under  its  human  protection,  the  bird  walks  fearlessly  about  the 
streets  of  its  native  land,  perches  upon  the  houses,  and,  in  common 
with  the  pariah  dogs,  soon  clears  away  any  refuse  substances  that  are 
thrown  into  the  open  streets  in  those  evil-smelling  and  undrained  local- 
ities. This  bird  will  eat  almost  anything  which  is  not  too  hard  for  its 
beak,  and  renders  great  service  to  the  husbandman  by  devouring 
myriads  of  lizards,  rats,  and  mice,  which  would  render  all  cultivation 
useless  were  not  their  numbers  kept  within  limits  by  the  exertion  of 
this  useful  Vulture.  It  has  also  been  seen  to  feed  on  the  nara,  a  rough 
water-bearing  melon,  in  common  with  cats,  leopards,  mice,  ostriches, 
and  many  other  creatures.  The  eggs  of  the  ostrich  are  said  to.be  a 
favorite  food  with  the  Egyptian  Vulture,  who  is  unable  to  break  their 
strong  shells  with  his  beak,  but  attains  his  object  by  carrying  a  great 
pebble  in  the  air  and  letting  it  drop  upon  the  eggs. 

The  wings  of  this  species  are  extremely  long  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  bird,  and  their  lofty  soaring  flight  is  peculiarly  graceful. 
It  is  but  a  small  bird  in  comparison  with  many  of  those  which  have 
already  been  mentioned,  being  not  much  larger  than  the  common  rook 
of  Europe.  The  nest  of  the  Egyptian  Vulture  is  made  upon  the  shelf 
or  in  the  cleft  of  a  lofty  rock,  and  the  gray-white  eggs  are  three  or 
four  in  number.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  during  the  season  of  repro- 
duction the  male  bird  slightly  changes  his  aspect,  the  yellow  bill, 
becoming  orange,  and  retaining  that  tint  until  the  breeding  season  is 
over.  Like  many  rapacious  animals  and  birds,  the  Egyptian  Vulture 
does  not  disdain  to  feed  on  insects,  and  has  been  observed  in  the  act 
of  following  a  ploughman  along  his  furrow^s,  picking  up  the  worms 
and  frrubs  after  the  fashion  of  the  common  rook. 


EAGLES. 

Next  in  order  to  the  Vultures  are  placed  the  splendid  birds  which 
are  so  familiar  to  us  under  the  general  title  of  Eagles,  and  which 
form  the  first  group  of  the  great  family  Falconidse,  which  includes  the 
Eagles,  Falcons,  and  Hawks. 

The  first,  and  one  of  the  finest,  of  thes^  grand  birds  is  the  well-known 
Golden  Eagle.     This  magnificent  bird  is  spread  over  a  large  portion 


288 


THE  GOLDEN   EAGLE. 


of  the  world,  being  found  in  the  British  Islands,  and  in  various  parts 
of  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  America.  The  color  of  this  bird  is  a 
rich  blackish   brown  on  the  greater  part  of  the   body,  the  head  and 

neck  being  covered  with 
feathers  of  a  rich  golden 
red,  which  have  earned 
for  the  bird  its  popular 
name.  The  legs  and 
sides  of  the  thighs  are 
gray-brown,  and  the  tail 
is  a  deep  gray,  diversified 
with  several  regular  dark- 
brown  bars.  In  its  imma- 
ture state  the  plumage  of 
the  Golden  Eagle  is  differ- 
ently tinged,  the  whole  of 
the  feathers  being  reddish 
brown,  the  legs  and  sides 
of  the  thighs  nearly  white, 
ajid  the  tail  white  for  the 
first  three-quarters  of  its 
length.  So  different  an 
aspect  does  the  immature 
bird  present  that  it  has 
often  been  reckoned  as 
a  separate  species,  and 
named  accordingly.  It  is  a  truly  magnificent  bird  in  point  of  size, 
for  an  adult  female  measures  about  three  feet  six  inches  in  length, 
and  the  expanse  of  her  wings  is  nine  feet.  The  male  is  less  by  nearly 
six  inches. 

In  England  the  Golden  Eagle  has  long  been  extinct,  but  it  is  still 
found  in  some  plenty  in  the  highlands  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  where 
it  is  observed  to  frequent  certain  favorite  haunts,  and  to  breed  regular- 
ly in  the  same  spot  for  a  long  series  of  years.  The  nest  is  always  made 
upon  some  elevated  spot,  generally  upon  a  ledge  of  rock,  and  is  most 
inartistically  constructed  of  sticks,  which  are  throw^n  apparently  at 
random,  and  rudely  arranged  for  the  purpose  of  containing  the  eggs 
and  young.  A  neighboring  ledge  of  rock  is  generally  reserved  for  a 
larder,  where  the  parent  Eagles  store  up  the  food  which  they  bring  from 
the  plains  below. 

In  hunting  for  their  prey,  the  Eagle  and  his  mate  mutually  assist 
each  other.  It  may  here  be  mentioned  that  the  Eagles  are  all  monog- 
amous, keeping  themselves  to  a  single  mate,  and  living  together  in 
perfect  harmony  through  their  lives.     As  the  rabbits  and   hares  are 


Eagles. 
Ring-tail  Eafflc.     2. 


Sea  Eagle. 


THE  OSPREY. 


289 


generally  under  cover  during  the  day,  the  Eagle  is  forced  to  drive  them 
from  their  place  of  concealment,  and  manages  the  matter  in  a  very 
clever  and  sportsmanlike  manner.  One  of  the  Eagles  conceals  itself 
near  the  cover  which  is  to  be  beaten,  and  its  companion  then  dashes 
among  the  bushes,  screaming  and  making  such  a  disturbance  that  the 
terrified  inmates  rush  out  in  hopes 
of  escape,  and  are  immediately 
pounced  upon  by  the  watchful 
confederate. 

The  prey  is  immediately  taken 
to  the  ne^t,  and  distributed  to  the 
young  if  there  should  be  any  ea- 
glets in  the  lofty  cradle. 

Owing  to  the  expanse  of  the 
wings  and  the  great  power  of  the 
muscles,  the  flight  of  this  bird  is 
peculiarly  bold,  striking,  and 
graceful.  It  sweeps  through  the 
air  in  a  succession  of  spiral 
curv^es,  rising  with  every  spire,  and 
making  no  perceptible  motion  with 
its  wings,  until  it  has  attained  an 
altitude  at  which  it  is  hardly  vis- 
ible. From  that  post  of  vantage 
the  Eagle  marks  the  ground  be- 
low, and  swoops  down  with  light- 
ning rapidity  upon  bird  or  beast 
that  may  happen  to  take  its  fancy. 

It  is  not,  however,  so  active  at  ris-  ^      ^  ^  /  .     .,     , 

/.       ■    ,  J  -1x1      The  GoT.D'E^  Eagi.^  (Aquila  clirysaetos). 

ing  irom  the  ground  as  might  be  \    i  ^y         ^ 

imagined,  and  can  be  disabled  by  a  comparatively  slight  injury  on  the 
wing.  One  of  these  birds,  that  was  detected  by  a  young  shepherd-boy 
in  the  act  of  devouring  some  dead  sheep,  was  disablec^  by  a  pebble  hurl- 
ed at  him  from  a  sling,  and  was  at  last  ignominiously  stoned  to  death. 

The  Eagle  is  supposed  to  be  a  very  long-lived  bird,  and  is  thought 
tocompassacenturyof  existence  when  it  is  living  wild  and  unrestrained 
in  its  native  laud.  Even  in  captivity  it  has  been  known  to  attain  a 
good  old  age,  one  of  these  birds  which  lived  at  Vienna  being  rather 
more  than  a  hundred  years  old  when  it  died. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  predaceous  birds  which  belong 
to  Great  Britain  is  the  celebrated  Osprey,  or  Fishing  Haw^k.  This 
fine  bird  was  formerly  very  common  in  England,  but  is  now  but  rarely 
seen  within  the  confines  of  the  British  Isles,  although  isolated  species 
are  now  and  then  seen. 

2i  T 


290  THE  OSPREY. 

As  the  bird  is  a  fish-eater,  it  is  geDerally  observed  on  the  seacoast 
or  on  the  banks  of  some  large  river,  but  has  occasionally  been  observed 
in  some  comparatively  waterless  situation,  where  it  has  probably  been 
driven  by  stress  of  weather.  In  some  parts  of  Scotland  the  Osprey 
still  holds  its  own,  and  breeds  year  after  year  on  the  same  spot,  gen- 
erally choosing  the  summit  of  an  old  ruined  building  or  the  top  of  a 

large  tree  for  that  purpose.  The 
nest  is  a  very  large  one,  composed 
almost  wholly  of  sticks,  and  con- 
tains two  or  three  whitish  eggs, 
largely  blotched  with  reddish 
brown,  the  dark  patches  being 
collected  toward  the  large  end 
of  the  egg.  As  is  the  case  with 
the  Eagles,  the  Osprey  is  mo- 
nogamous ;  but  on  the  death  of 
either  of  the  pair  the  survivor 
The  Osprey  or  Fish  Hawk  {Pandion  ^^^^  f^^^^  another  mate,  and  is 
haliaetus).  ^      •    i  ^  i    i    v 

straightway  consoled    by  a  new 

alliance.  From  all  accounts  it  is  an  affectionate  and  domestic  bird, 
paying  the  greatest  attention  to  its  mate  and  home,  and  displaying  a 
constancy  which  is  not  to  be  surpassed  by  that  of  the  turtle-dove,  so 
celebrated  for  matrimonial  felicity. 

The  flight  of  the  Osprey  is  peculiarly  easy  and  elegant,  as  might  be 
expected  from  a  bird  the  length  of  whose  body  is  only  twenty-two  inches 
and  the  expanse  of  wing  nearly  five  feet  and  a  half.  Living  almost 
wholly  on  fish,  the  Osprey  sails  in  wide  undulating  circles,  hovering 
over  the  water  and  intently  watching  for  its  prey.  No  sooner  does  a 
fish  come  into  view  than  the  Osprey  shoots  through  the  air  like  a 
meteor,  descends  upon  the  luckless  fish  with  such  force  tliat  it  drives 
a  shower  of  spray  in  every  direction,  and,  soon  emerging,  flies  away  to 
its  nest,  bearing  its  prey  in  its  grasp.  In  order  to  enable  it  to  seize  and 
retain  so  slippery  a  creature  as  a  fish,  the  claws  of  the  Osprey  are  long, 
curved,  and  very  sharp,  the  soles  of  the  feet  are  rough,  and  the  outer 
toe  is  capable  of  great  versatility.  When  the  bird  has  settled  upon  its 
nest,  or  upon  any  spot  where  it  intends  to  eat  its  prey,  it  does  not  relin- 
quish its  hold,  but,  as  if  fearful  that  the  fish  should  escape,  continues 
its  grasp,  and  daintily  picks  away  the  flesh  from  betw^een  its  toes. 

Harmless  though  the  Osprey  be — except  to  the  fish — it  is  a  much 
persecuted  bird,  being  not  only  annoyed  by  rooks  and  crows,  but  rob- 
bed by  the  more  powerful  white-headed  Eagle.  Mr.  Thompson  records 
an  instance  where  an  Osprey,  which  had  been  fishing  in  Loch  Kuthven, 
was  greatly  harassed  by  an  impertinent  Royston  crow,  which  attacked 
the  noble  bird  as  soon  as  it  had  caught  a  fish,  and,  as  if  knowing  that 


THE  BALD   EAGLE. 


291 


it  was  incapable  of  retaliation,  actually  struck  it  while  on  the  wing. 
The  Osprey  kept  quietly  on  its  way,  but  was  so  wearied  by  the  re- 
peated attacks  of  the  crow  that  when  pursued  and  pursuer  had  van- 
ished out  of  sight,  the  poor  Osprey  had  not  been  able  to  commence  his 
repast. 

The  general  color  of  the  Osprey  is  dark  brown,  but  it  is  pleasingly 
variegated  with  various  shades  of  black,  gray,  and  white.  The  crown 
of  the  head  and  the  nape  ot  the  neck  are  covered  with  long  gray-white 
feathers,  streaked  with  dark  brown.  The  under  surface  of  the  body  is 
white,  with  the  exception  of  a  light-brown  band  which  extends  across 
the  chest.  The  primaries  are  brown  tipped  with  black,  and  the  tail  is 
barred  above  with  a  light  and  a  deep  brown,  and  below  with  brown  and 
white.  The  legs,  toes,  and  cere  are  blue,  the  eyes  golden  yellow,  and 
the  beak  and  claws  black. 

The  noble  bird  which  is  represented  below  is  celebrated  as  being 
the  type  which  has  been  chosen  by  the  Americans  as  the  emblem  of 
their  nation. 

The  name  of  Bald  or  White-headed  Eagle  has  been  applied  to 
this  bird  on  account  of  the  snowv-white  color,  of  the  head  and  neck — 


The  Bald  or  White-headed  Eagle  {Haiiaetus  Leucocephalus). 

a  peculiarity  which  renders  it  a  most  conspicuous  bird  when  at  large  in 
its  native  land.  The  remainder  of  the  body  is  a  deep  chocolate  brown, 
inclining  to  black  along  the  back.  The  tail  and  upper  tail-coverts  are 
of  the  same  white  hue  as  the  head  and  neck.  In  its  earlier  stages  of 
existence  the  creature  is  of  more  sombre  tints,  not  obtaining  the  beauti- 
fully white  head  and  tail  until  it  is  four  years  of  age. 

The  nest  of  the  Bald  Eagle  is  generally  made  upon  some  lofty  tree, 
and  in  the  course  of  years  becomes  of  very  great  size,  as  the  bird  is  in 


292  THE  COMMON  BUZZARD. 

the  habit  of  laying  her  eggs  year  after  year  in  the  same  nest,  and  mak- 
ing additions  of  new  building  materials  at  every  fresh  breeding  season. 
She  commences  this  task  at  a  very  early  period  of  the  year,  deposit- 
ing her  eggs  in  January,  and  hatching  her  young  by  the  middle  of 
February. 

It  is  always  a  very  affectionate  bird,  tends  its  young  as  long  as  they 
are  helpless  and  unfledged,  and  will  not  forsake  them  even  if  the  tree 
on  which  they  rest  be  enveloped  in  flames. 

The  Bald  Eagle  often  takes  advantage  of  the  fishing  talents  of  the 
Osprey  by  robbing  the  lesser  bird  of  its  prey.  The  Eagle  is,  in  truth, 
no  very  great  fisher,  but  is  very  fond  of  fish,  and  finds  that  the  easiest 
mode  of  obtaining  the  desired  dainty  is  to  rob  those  who  are  better  qual- 
ified than  himself  for  the  sport. 

The  Bald  Eagle  is  very  accommodating  in  his  appetite,  and  will  eat 
almost  anything  that  has  ever  possessed  animal  life.  He  is  by  no  means 
averse  to  carrion,  and  has  been  seen  seated  regally  upon  a  dead  horse, 
keeping  at  a  distance  a  horde  of  vultures  which  were  collected  round 
the  carcase,  and  not  permitting  them  to  approach  until  he  had  gorged 
himself  to  the  full.  Another  individual  was  seen  by  Wilson  under  sim- 
ilar circumstances.  He  had  taken  possession  of  a  heap  of  dead  squir- 
rels that  had  been  accidentally  drowned,  and  prevented  any  other  bird 
or  beast  of  prey  from  approaching  his  treasure.  He  is  especially  fond 
of  lambs,  and  is  more  than  suspected  of  aiding  the  death  of  many  a 
sickly  sheep  by  the  dexterous  use  of  his  beak  and  claws. 

The  Bald  Eagle  is  found  throughout  the  whole  of  North  America, 
and  may  be  seen  haunting  the  greater  part  of  the  sea-coasts  as  well  as 
the  mouths  of  the  large  rivers. 

The  Common  Buzzard  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  the  F.ilconidae, 
and  is  one  which,  although  banished  from  the  greater  part  of  England, 
is  still  found  plentifully  in  many  parts  of  Scotland  and  Ireland. 

The  plumage  of  this  bird  is  looser  and  more  downy  than  is  seen  in  the 
generality  of  the  hawk  tribe,  and  bears  a  certain  resemblance  to  that  of 
the  owl.  This  peculiarity  is  explained  by  the  habits  of  the  bird,  which 
will  presently  be  narrated.  The  average  length  of  a  Buzzard  is  from 
twenty  to  twenty-two  inches,  and  the  tinting  of  its  plumage  is  extremely 
variable,  even  in  adult  birds.  The  usual  coloring  is  as  follows :  The 
back  and  whole  of  the  upper  surface  are  a  rich  brown,  becoming 
lighter  on  the  head  and  neck,  and  diversified  with  longitudinal  streaks 
of  the  darker  hue.  The  tail  is  also  dark  brown,  but  is  varied  with 
stripes  of  a  lighter  color,  and  the  primary  feathers  of  the  wings  are 
nearly  black.  The  under  portions  of  the  body  are  gray-white,  marked 
on  the  neck,  chest,  and  abdomen  with  spots  and  streaks  of  brown.  The 
claws  are  black,  the  bill  is  a  deep  blue-black,  and  the  legs,  toes,  and 
ears  are  yellow. 


THE  KITE. 


293 


•  '  The  nest  of  the  Buzzard  is  made  either  in  some  suitable  tree  or  upon 
the  rocks,  according  to  the  locality,  and  is  generally  composed  of  grass 
and  heather  stems,  intermingled  with  long,  soft  roots,  and  lined  with 
wool,  heather,  leaves,  and  other  substances. 

The  flight  of  the  Buzzard  is  rather  variable.  At  times  the  bird 
seems  inspired  with  the  very  soul  of  laziness,  and  contents  itself  with 
pouncing  leisurely  upon  its  prey  and  returning  to 
the  branch  on  which  it  has  been  perched.  Some- 
times, however,  and  especially  in  the  breeding  sea- 
son, it  rises  high  in  the  air,  and  displays  a  power 
of  wing  and  an  easy  grace  of  flight  which  would 
hardly  be  anticipated  from  its  formerly  sluggish 
movements.  This  fine  bird  may  still  be  seen  in 
the  New  Forest,  where  I  have  often  watched  its 
airy  circling  flight. 

The  Kite  may  be  known,  even  on  the  wing, 
from  all  other  British  birds  of  prey,  by  its  beau- 
tifully easy  flight  and  the  long  forked  tail.  In- 
deed, while  flying  the  Kite  bears  no  small  resem- 
blance to  a  very  large  swallow,  excepting  that  the 
flight  is  more  gliding  and  the  wings  are  seldom 
flapped. 

It  was  in  former  days  one  of  the  commonest  of 
the  British  birds,  swarming  in  every  forest,  build- 
ing its  nest  near  every  village,  and  being  the  great- 
est pest  of  the  farmer  and  poultry-keeper,  on  ac- 
count of  its  voracity,  craft,  and  swiftness.  Even  The  American  Buz- 
the  metropolis  was  filled  with  these  birds,  which 
acted  the  same  part  that  is  played  by  vultures  in  more  eastern  lands, 
and  were  accustomed  to  haunt  the  streets  for  the  purpose  of  eating  the 
ofllil  which  was  so  liberally  flung  out  of  doors  in  the  good  old  times, 
and  which,  but  for  the  providential  instincts  of  the  Kites,  would  have 
been  permitted  to  decompose  in  the  open  streets. 

In  the  present  day,  however,  the  Kite  is  comparatively  seldom  seen 
in  England,  and  when  observed  is  of  suflScient  rarity  to  be  mentioned 
in  the  floating  records  of  natural  history. 

The  flight  of  this  bird  is  peculiarly  easy  and  graceful,  as  the  wings 
are  seldom  flapped,  and  the  Kite  sails  through  the  air  as  by  the  mere 
power  of  volition.  From  the  gliding  movements  of  the  Kite  when  on 
the  wing  it  has  derived  the  name  of  Gled,  from  the  old  Saxon  word 
glida.  When  in  pursuit  of  prey  the  Kite  sails  in  circles,  at  a  consid- 
erable height  from  the  ground,  watching  with  its  penetrating  gaze  the 
ground  beneath,  and  sweeping  with  unerring  aim  upon  any  bird,  quad- 
ruped, or  reptile  that  may  take  its  fancy. 
2o® 


294 


FOOD  AND  NEST  OF  THE  KITE. 


The  food  of  the  Kite  is  rather  general  in  its  nature,  consisting  of  va- 
rious quadrupeds,  young  rabbits,  hares,  rats,  mice,  and  moles,  of  which 
latter  animals  no  less  than  twenty-two  were  discovered  in  the  nest  of  a 
single  Kite,  showing  how  rapid  and  noiseless  must  be  its  movements 
when  it  can  secure  so  wary  and  keen-eared  an  animal  as  a  mole.  It 
does  not  chase  the  swift-winged  birds  through  the  air,  but  pounces  on 

many  a  partridge  as  it  sits  on  the 
ground,  and  is  remarkably  fond 
of  taking  young  and  unfledged 
birds  from  their  nests ;  reptiles 
of  different  kinds,  such  as 
snakes,  frogs,  lizards,  and  newts, 
also  form  part  of  its  food,  and  it 
will  not  disdain  to  pick  up  a  bee 
or  a  grasshopper  when  it  can  find 
no  larger  prey.  The  Kite  is  also 
a  good  fisher,  waging  nearly  as 
successful  war  against  the  finny 
inhabitants  of  the  rivers  or 
ponds  as  the  Osprey  itself, 
sweeping  suddenly  down  upon 
the  fish  as  they  rise  to  the  sur- 
face in  search  of  food  or  in  their 
accustomed  gambollings,  and 
bearing  them  away  to  the  shore, 
where  it  settles  down  and  eats 
them  in  peace. 

The  nest  of  the  Kite  is  built 
chiefly  with  sticks  as  a  founda- 
tion, upon  which    is   placed  a 
The  Mississippi  Kite.  j^^.^^  of  moss,  wool,  hair,  and 

other  soft  and  warm  articles.  The  locality  which  is  chosen  for  the  nest 
is  generally  in  some  thick  wood,  and  the  bird  prefers  a  strong,  forked 
branch  for  the  resting-place.  The  eggs  are  generally  two  in  number, 
and  sometimes  three,  of  a  grayish  or  light-brownish  white  color,  speckled 
with  reddish  chestnut  blotches,  which,  as  is  the  case  with  so  many  hawks' 
eggs,  are  gathered  toward  the  larger  end. 

The  ordinary  length  of  the  common  Kite  is  about  twenty  inches, 
but  the  sexes  are  rather  variable  in  that  respect,  the  females  being  al- 
ways larger  than  the  males.  The  coloring  of  the  bird  is  very  elegant, 
although  composed  of  few  tints,  and  is  remarkable  more  on  account  of  the 
delicate  gradations  and  contrasts  of  hue  than  for  any  peculiar  brilliancy 
of  the  feathers.  The  general  aspect  of  the  Kite  is  reddish  brown, 
which  on  a  close  inspection  is  resolved  into  the  following  tints :    The 


THE  SWALLOW-TAILED  KITE.  295 

back  and  upper  portions  are  dark  brown,  relieved  by  a  reddish  tinge 
upon  the  edges  of  tlie  feathers  ;  the  primaries  are  black,  and  the  upper 
tail-coverts  chestnut.  There  is  a  little  white  upon  the  edges  of  the 
tertiaries,  and  the  head  and  back  of  the  neck  are  covered  with  grayish- 
white  feathers,  the  centre  of  each  feather  being  streaked  with  brown. 
The  forked  tail  is  reddish  brown,  barred  on  the  under  surface  with 
dark  brown  stripes,  the  centre  lieathers  being  the  darkest.  The  chin 
and  throat  are  colored  like  the  head,  and  the  abdomen  and  under  por- 
tions are  reddish  brown.  The  under  tail-coverts  are  white,  with  a 
slight  reddish  tinge,  and  the  under  surface  of  the  rectrices  is  also 
white,  but  washed   with  gray. 

The  beautiful  bird  which  is  so  well  known  under  the  appropriate  title 
of  the  Swallow-tailed  Kite  is  ^n  inhabitant  of  various  parts  of 
America,  though  it  has  occasionally  been  noticed  on  the  British  shores. 

This  bird  bears  so  strong  an  external  resemblance  to  the  swallow  that 
it  might  easily  be  taken  for  a  common  swallow  or  swift,  as  it  flies  cir- 
cling in  the  air  in  search  of  the  insect  prey  on  which  it  usually  feeds. 
Even  the  flight  is  very  much  of  the  same  character  in  both  birds,  and 
the  mode  of  feeding  very  similar.  The  usual  food  of  the  Swallow- 
tailed  Kite  consists  of  the  larger  insects,  which  it  either  catches  on  the 
wing  or  snatches  I'rom  the  leaves  as  it  shoots  past  the  bushes.  Rep- 
tiles, such  as  small  snakes,  lizards,  and  frogs,  also  form  part  of  the 
food  of  this  elegant  bird.  While  it  is  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  such 
prey,  or  in  catching  the  large  insects  upon  the  branches,  it  may  be  ap- 
proached and  shot  without  much  difficulty,  as  it  is  so  intent  upon  its 
prey  that  it  fails  to  notice  its  human  foe. 

The  nest  of  the  Swallow-tailed  Kite  is  generally  found  on  the  very 
summit  of  some  lofty  rock  or  pine,  and  is  almost  invariably  in  the  near 
vicinity  of  water.  It  is  composed  of  small  sticks  externally,  and  is 
lined  with  grasses,  moss,  and  feathers.  The  eggs  are  rather  more  nu- 
merous than  is  generally  the  case  with  the  hawks,  being  from  four  to 
six  in  number.  Their  color  is  white  with  a  greenish  tinge,  and  they 
are  marked  with  some  dark  brown  blotches  which  are  gathered  toward 
the  larger  end.  There  is  only  one  brood  in  the  year,  and  when  the 
young  birds  are  first  hatched  th^y  are  covered  with  a  uniformly  buft- 
colored  downy  coat.  The  color  of  the  adult  bird  is  variable,  consist- 
ing mostly  of  white  and  black,  but,  on  account  of  the  bold  manner  in 
which  their  hues  are  contrasted,  is  remarkably  pleasing  in  its  effect. 
The  back,  the  upper  part  of  the  wings,  with  the  exception  of  the  inner 
webs  of  the  tertiaries,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  rectrices,  are  a  deep  pur- 
ple-black, the  head,  neck,  and  all  other  parts  of  the  plumage  being 
pure  white.  The  legs  and  toes  are  blue  with  a  green  tinge,  the  cere  is 
blue,  and  the  beak  blue-black.  The  claws  are  orange-brown.  The 
length  of  this  bird  averages  twenty  inches. 


296 


THE  JER-FALCOK 


The  true  Falcons  are  known  by  their  strong,  thick,  and  curved  beak, 
the  upper  mandible  having  a  projecting  tooth  near  the  curve,  which 
fits  into  a  corresponding  socket  in  the  under  mandible.  The  talons 
are  strongly  curved,  sharp-pointed,  and  are  either  flat  or  grooved  in 
their  under' sides.  The  Falcons  all  obtain  their  prey  by  striking  it 
while  on  the  wing ;  and  with  such  terrible  force  is  the  attack  made 
ihat  a  Peregrine  Falcon  has  been  known  to  strike  the  head  completely 
from  the  shoulders  of  its  quarry,  while  the  mere 
force  of  its  stroke,  without  the  use  of  its  claws, 
is  sufficient  to  kill  a  pigeon  or  a  partridge  and 
send  it  dead  to  the  ground. 

In  striking  their  prey  the  Falcons  make  no 
use  of  the  beak,  reserving  that  weapon  for  the 
purpose  of  completing  the  slaughter  when  they 
and  the  wounded  quarry  are  struggling  on  the 
ground. 

Among  the  true  Falcons  the  Jer-falcon  is 
the  most  conspicuous  on  account  of  tlie  superior 
dimensions  of  its  bo_dy  and  the  striking  power 
of  its  wing. 

This  splendid  bird  is  a  native  of  Northern 
Europe,  being  mostly  found  in  Iceland  and 
Norway,  and  it  also  inhabits  parts  of  both 
Americas.  Some  naturalists  believe  that  the 
Norwegian  and  Icelandic  birds  ought  to  be 
reckoned  as  different  species,  but  others  think 
The  Rofgh-leggtcdFal- that  any  differences  between   them   are  occa- 

COyi  [talco  laqopus).  .  i  , *^  -,  t.    •  •  i     i      .       r.     i 

^  ^  '  sioned  by  age  and  sex.  It  is  said  tliat  of  the 
two  birds  the  Iceland  variety  is  the  more  powerful,  of  bolder  flight,  and 
greater  age,  and  therefore  better  adapted  for  the  purpose  of  falconry. 
Som-timos  it  is  seen  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  British  Islands,  having 
evidently  flown  over  the  five  hundred  miles  or  so  of  sea  that  divides 
Scotland  from  Iceland  ;  tiiis  journey,  however,  is  no  difficult  task  for 
the  Jer-falcon,  who  is  quite  capable  of  paying  a  mornini^  visit  to  these 
islands  and  returning  to  its  home  on  the  same  day.  In  1859  one  of  these 
birds  was  shot  in  Northumberland,  and  others  have  been  observed  in 
the  more  southern  counties.  Toward  the  south,  however,  it  has  seldom 
if  ever  been  observed. 

The  color  of  the  adult  Jer-falcon  is  nearly  white,  being  purely  white 
on  the  under  surface  and  flecked  with  narrow  transverse  bars  of  gray- 
ish brown  upon  the  upper  parts.  The  sharp  claws  are  black,  the  beak 
of  a  bluish  tint,  and  the  cere,  tarsus,  and  toes  yellow.  When  young, 
however,  the  bird  presents  a  very  different  aspect,  and  would  hardly  be 
recognized  as  belonging  to  the  same  species.     In  its  earlier  stages  of 


THE  PEREGRINE  FALCON. 


297 


life  it  is  almost  wholly  of  a  grayish-brown  tint,  the  feathers  beiug 
slightly  marked  with  a  little  white  upon  their  edges.  As  the  bird 
increases  in  age  the  white  edges  become  wider,  and  by  degrees  the 
entire  feather  is  of  a  snowy 
whiteness.  The  name  Jer- fal- 
con is  supposed  to  be  a  cor- 
ruption of  "  Geier-falcou,"  or 
Vulture  Falcon. 

Less  powerful  but  more 
graceful  than  the  Jer-falcon,  the 
Peregrine  Falcon  has  ever 
held  the  first  place  among  the 
hawks  that  are  trained  for  the 
chase. 

When  thorouirhly  tamed  the 
Peregrine     Falcon*  displays    a     The  Winter  Falcon  (Fa/co  %maizs). 

very  considerable  amount  of  attachment  to  its  owner,  and  even  while 
flying  at  perfect  liberty  will  single  him  out  from  a  large  company,  fly 
voluntarily  toward  him,  and  perch  lovingly  on  his  hand  or  shoulder. 

It  will  chase  and  kill  many  of  the  coast  birds,  such  as  the  dunlin,  the 
gull,  and  the  plover.  The  curlew  is  a  very  favorite  prey,  and,  being  a 
strong-winged  bird,  affords  great  sport.  It  is  rather  remarkable  that 
the  dunlin,  together  with  birds  of  similar  habits,  flies  instinctively  to 
the  sea,  lake,  or  river  when  attacked  by  the  Peregrine  Falcon,  as  if 


The  Peregrine  Falcon  or  Great-footed  Hawk  {Falco  perecjrinus). 

knowing  that  the  winged  hunter  is  very  unwilling  to  swoop  upon  any 
object  that  is  flying  upon  the  surface  of  the  water.  The  Falcon  has 
been  seen  to  drive  a  dunlin  repeatedly  into  the  sea  before  it  could 
intercept  the  poor  bird  between  the  dry  land  and  its  watery  refuge: 
It  will  also  strike  at  the  gray  crows  or  at  herons,  but  unless  specially 
trained  to  the  pursuit  will  not  trouble  itself  further  about  them.  ' 
The  full  speed  of  the  Peregrine  Falcon  has  been  computed  at  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  per  hour,  and  a  single  chase  will  often  occupy  a 


298  THE  HOBBY. 

space  of  eight  or  ten  miles.  Its  power  of  wiug  is  useful  not  only  in 
enabling  it  to  wage  successful  pursuit  of  swift-winged  birds,  but  in  giv- 
ing it  sufficient  buoyancy  to  carry  off'  the  prey  which  it  has  secured. 
So  strong  is  the  Peregrine's  wing  that  it  has  often  been  observed  to  bear 
in  its  talons  a  bird  larger  than  itself,  and  carry  it  to  the  nest  without 
difficulty.  Even  a  guillemot  has  been  struck  and  carried  off*  by  the 
Peregrine. 

The  eggs  of  this  bird  are  generally  two  or  three  in  number,  although 
a  fourth  is  sometimes  known  to  be  laid  in  the  same  nest.  The  color 
of  the  egg  is  a  very  pale  reddish  brown,  usually  mottled  with  a  darker 
tint. 

In  its  adult  state  the  Peregrine  Falcon  is  very  elegantly  colored. 
Tlie  top  of  the  head,  the  back  of  the  neck,  the  primaries,  and  a  stripe 
beneath  the  eye  are  of  a  deep  black-brown  ;  the  upper  parts  of  the 
body  are  ashy  brown,  the  latter  tint  becoming  fainter  in  each  success- 
ive moult,  and  being  always  marked  with  a  series  of  dark  bars  upon 
its  back,  tail,  and  wing-coverts ;  the  breast  is  white,  deepening  'into  a 
chestnut  hue,  and  being  barred  transversely  with  reddish  brown  upon 
the  breast,  and  marked  on  the  front  of  the  throat  with  longitudinal 
dashes  of  very  dark  brown.  The  remainder  of  the  under  plumage  is 
grayish  white,  profusely  barred  with  dark  brown.  When  young  the 
plumage  is  altogether  of  a  more  ruddy  hue,  and  the  birds  are  termed, 
in  the  language  of  falconry,  Red  Tercels  or  Red  Falcons,  according  to 
their  sex. 

The  small  but  exquisitely-shaped  Hobby  is  found  spread  over  the 
greater  part  of  the  Old  World,  specimens  having  been  taken  in  Northern 
Africa  and  in  many  portions  of  Asia,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  which  seems 
to  be  its  chief  residence.  It  was  formerly  very  common  in  England, 
but  is  year  by  year  less  seldom  seen  in  that  island,  as  is  the  case  with 
all  its  predaceous  relations.  From  all  accounts  it  seems  to  be  rather  a 
local  bird,  being  partially  influenced  by  the  nature  of  the  ground  and 
the  quantity  of  food  which  it  is  able  to  procure. 

This  bird  appears  to  favor  inland  and  well-wooded  lands  rather  than 
the  seashore  or  the  barren  rocks,  thus  presenting  a  strong  contrast  to 
the  Peregrine  Falcon.  We  may  find  an  obvious  reason  for  this  prefer- 
ence in  the  fact  that  a  considerable  proportion  of  its  food  is  composed 
of  the  larger  insects,  especially  of  the  fjit-bodied  beetles,  which  it  seizes 
on  the  wing.  Chafers  of  various  kinds  are  a  favorite  prey  with  the 
Hobby,  and  in  several  cases  the  stomachs  of  Hobbies  that  had  been 
shot  were  found  to  contain  nothing  but  the  shelly  portions  of  the  larger 
dung-chafer  (Geotrupes  stercorarius).  As,  therefore,  the  common  cock- 
chafer is  a  leaf-eating  insect  and  frequents  forest  lands  for  the  purpose 
of  attaining  its  food,  the  Hobby  will  be  found  constantly  in  the  same 
locality  for  the  object  of  feeding  on   the  cock-chafer.     And  as  the 


THE  MERLIN. 


299 


dung-chafer  swarms  wherever  cattle  are  most  abundantly  uourished, 
the  Hobby  is  attracted  to  the  same  spot  for  the  sake  of  the  plentiful 
supply  of  food  which  it  can  obtain. 

Although  of  the  smallest  of  the  British  Falconidse,  being  only  from 
ten  to  thirteen  inches  in  length,  according  to  the  sex  of  the  individual, 
the  Merlin  is  one  of  the  most  dashing  and  brilliant  of  all  the  hawks 
which  frequent  Great  Britain. 

This  beautiful  little  bird  is  almost  invaluable  to  the  young  falconer, 
as  it  is  so  docile  in  disposition  and  so  remarkably  intelligent  in  character 
that  it  repays  his 
instructions  much 
sooner  than  any  of 
the  more  showy  but 
less  teachable  fal- 
cons. Every  move- 
ment of  this  admi- 
rable little  hawk  is 
full  of  life  and  vi- 
vacity;  its  head 
turns  sharply  from 
side  to  side  as  it 
sits  on  its  master's 
hand  ;  its  eyes  al- 
most flame  with 
fiery  eagerness,  and 
it  ever  and  anon 
gives  vent  to  its 
i  m  p  a  ti  e  n  c  e  by  a 
volley  of  ear-pier- 
cing shrieks. 

Before  the  young 
bird,  is  able  to  tear 
to  pieces  its  winged 
prey,  it  should  al- 
ways be  accustom- 
ed to  have  its  food 
placed  upon  the 
stuffed  skin  of  a 
partridge,  and 
when  it  has  at- 
tained sufficient 
strength  the  breast  of  a  real  partridge  should  be  cut  open,  and  a  small 
portion  of  its  ordinary  food  placed  within  the  aperture,  so  as  to  encour- 
age the  bird  to  tear  away  the  flesh  in  order  to  satiate  its  hunger.     The 


Merlj^s  {Hypoti wichib  cesalon) 


300  THE  STONE  FALCON. 

next  step  is  to  substitute  an  entire  partridge  for  the  ordinary  diet,  and  by 
degrees  to  teach  it  to  pounce  upon  the  dead  bird  as  it  is  flung  to  a  daily- 
increasing  distance.  It  is  a  good  pigeon-hunter;  and  if  the  owner 
choose  to  train  it  for  smaller  game,  it  is  unrivalled  as  a  chaser  of 
thrushes,  larks,  and  similar  birds,  owing  to  the  pertinacity  with  which 
it  carries  on  the  pursuit,  and  the  resolutely  agile  manner  w^ith  which  it 
will  thread  the  mazes  of  branch  and  leaf  in  chase  of  a  bird  which  seeks 
for  refuge  in  the  covert. 

The  Merlin  frequently  breeds  in  England,  and  makes  its  nest  on  the 
ground,  generally  choosing  for  that  purpose  some  spot  where  large 
stones  are  tolerably  plentiful  and  may  serve  as  a  protection  to  the  nest, 
as  well  as  for  a  perch,  on  which  the  Merlin,  like  the  Harrier,  loves  to 
sit  and  survey  the  prospect.  From  this  habit  of  perching  on  pieces 
of  stone  it  has  derived  the  name  of  Stone  Falcon,  a  title  which  has 
been  applied  to  this  bird  in  Germany  and  France  as  well  as  in  Eng- 
land. Sometimes,  but  not  often,  the  nest  is  made  on  some  rocky  shelf 
on  a  precipice.  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  numb3r,  of  a  light  reddish 
brown  hue,  covered  with  mottlings  and  splashings  of  a  deeper  tint. 

The  color  of  the  Merlin  is  very  pleasing,  but  not  very  easy  to  de- 
scribe, as  it  is  not  so  conspicuous  as  in  many  of  the  hawks,  and  more- 
over is  rather  different  in  the  two  sexes. 

The  top  of  the  head  is  a  slaty  gray,  marked  with  dark  streaks  run- 
ning along  the  line  of  the  head ;  the  beak  and  upper  portions  of  the 
body  are  of  a  similar  slaty  gray,  but  without  the  dark  lines.  The 
shafts  of  each  feather  are,  however,  of  a  dark  brown,  and  give  a  very 
rich  and  peculiar  coloring  to  those  portions  of  the  plumage.  The 
pinions  are  black ;  the  upper  surface  of  the  tail  is  neirly  gray,  with 
the  exception  of  three  faint  dark  bands,  the  last  being  the  broadest, 
and  the  tip  white.  The  chin  and  throat  are  white,  and  the  under 
parts  of  the  body  are  reddish  fawn,  thickly  marked  with  patches  of 
a  darker  color  and  streaks  of  deep  brown.  The  cere,  legs,  and  toes 
are  yellow,  the  claws  black,  and  the  beak  a  slaty  gray,  deepening 
toward  the  point,  and  slightly  marked  with  longitudinal  dark  lines. 
Round  the  neck  runs  a  band  of  pale  reddish  brown,  which  also  extends 
to  the  cheeks,  and  there  forms  a  patch  on  each  side. 
,  This  description  belongs  to  the  male  bird,  the  coloring  of  the  female 
being  of  a  rather  different  nature.  The  beautiful  blue-gray  which 
tints  the  upper  parts  of  the  male  bird  is  in  the  female  of  a  dark  red- 
dish brown,  marked  with  slender  longitudinal  streaks  covered  by  the 
black-brown  shafts  of  each  feather.  The  secondaries  and  the  wing- 
coverts  are  of  the  same  hue  as  the  back.  The  tail  is  brown,  varied 
Kvith  five  narrow  streaks  of  dark  brown,  and  the  under  surface  of  the 
■body  is  a  very  pale  brown,  marked  with  longitudinal  dashes  of  a  darker 
iiue.     The  young  of  both  sexes  are  nearly  alike  for  the  first  year,  after 


THE  KESTREL. 


301 


which  time  the  males  assume  their  peculiar  coloring,  and  the  females 
retain  the  same  tints. 

The  common  Kestrel  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  the  British 
hawks,  being  seen  in  almost  every  part  of  the  country  where  a  mouse, 
a  lizard,  or  a  beetle  may  be  found. 

It  may  easily  be  distinguished  while  on  the  wing  from  any  other 
hawk  by  the  peculiar  manner  in  which  it  remains  poised  in  air  in  a 
single  spot,  its  head  invari- 
ably pointing  toward  the 
wind,  its  tail  spread,  and  its 
wings  widely  extended,  almost 
as  if  it  were  a  toy  kite  raised 
in  the  air  by  artificial  means, 
and  preserved  in  the  same 
spot  by  the  trammels  of  a 
string.  While  hanging  thus 
strangely  suspended  in  the 
air,  its  head  is  bent  down- 
ward, and  its  keen  eyes  glance 
restlessly  in  every  direction, 
watching  every  blade  of  grass 
beneath  its  ken,  and  shooting 
down  with  unerring  certainty 
of  aim  upon  any  unhappy 
field-riiouse  that  may  be  fool- 
ish enough  to  poke  his  red 
face  out  of  his  hole  while  the 

Kestrel  is  on  the  watch.  rr^       ^  ,r^  ,>,,,.    x 

rr«i  u  X?    XX  ^^      •  The  Kestrel  (Tinnunctdm  Ahmdarius). 

ihe  number  or    neld-mice  ^  ^ 

consumed  by  this  hawk  is  very  great,  for  it  is  hardly  possible  to  open 
the  stomach  of  a  Kestrel  without  finding  the  remains  of  one  or  more 
of  these  destructive  little  animals.  On  account  of  its  mouse-eating 
propensities,  the  Kestrel  is  a  most  useful  bird  to  the  farmer,  who  in 
his  ignorance  confounds  all  hawks  together,  and  now  shoots  the  Kes- 
trel which  catches  mice  because  kites  used  formerly  to  steal  chickens. 

In  the  use  of  its  claws  the  Kestrel  is  remarkably  quick  and  ready, 
and,  being  also  a  swift-winged  bird,  it  is  in  the  habit  of  chasing  cock- 
chafers and  other  large  beetles  on  the  wing,  and  catching  them  neatly 
with  its  claws  as  it  shoots  past  their  course.  Without  pausing  in  its 
flight,  the  bird  transfers  the  insect  from  the  foot  to  the  mouth,  and  eats 
it  without  taking  the  trouble  to  alight.  With  such  eagerness  does  it 
pursue  this  kind  of  prey — which  we  may  suppose  to  be  taken  as  a  des- 
sert after  a  more  substantial  meal  upon  mouse-flesh — that  it  continues 
its  chase  far  into  the  evening,  and  may  be  seen  in  hot  pursuit  of  the 
26 


302  THE  KESTREL. 

high-flying  beetles  h)ng  after  dusk.  Caterpillars  and  other  larvte  are 
also  eaten  by  the  Kestrel,  which  does  not  disdain  to  alight  on  the  ground 
and  draw  the  earthworms  out  of  their  holes. 

Mice,  however,  are  always  its  favorite  diet;  and,  as  the  multiplica- 
tion of  these  little  pests  is  much  increased  by  the  abundant  food  which 
they  find  in  cultivated  grounds,  and  stacks  and  barns,  the  Kestrel  has 
learnt  to  attach  itself  to  human  residences,  instead  of  becoming  self-ban- 
ished, as  is  the  case  with  almost  every  other  hawk.  There  is  hardly  a 
village  where  the  Kestrel  may  not  be  seen  hovering  with  outspread 
wings  and  surveying  the  fields  below. 

With  the  aid  of  a  good  telescope,  every  movement  of  the  bird  may  be 
discovered  as  it  hangs  in  the  air,  and  the  sight  is  a  very  interesting  one. 
Its  wings  keep  up  a  continual  shivering,  its  widely-spread  tail  is  occa- 
sionally moved  so  as  to  suit  the  slight  changes  of  the  breeze,  the  spirited 
little  head  is  in  perpetual  motion,  and  the  dark  brown  eyes  gleam  with 
animation  as  they  keep  their  restless  watch.  It  seems  from  various  ob- 
servations that  each  Kestrel  has  its  regular  beat  or  hunting-grounds, 
au'l  may  be  observed  punctually  repairing  to  the  same  spot  at  the 
same  hour,  much  after  the  manner  of  the  golden  eao-le. 

The  Kestrel  is  known  by  various  names  in  different  parts  of  the 
country. 

Its  most  common  name  is  Windhover,  in  allusion  to  its  peculiar  mode 
of  flight.  For  the  same  reason  it  is  termed  Stannel,  Stand-gall,  or 
Stand-gale,  and  has  also  obtained  the  title  of  Vanner  Hawk. 

The  nest  of  the  Kestrel  is  generally  placed  upon  the  topmost  bough 
of  some  lofty  tree,  although  it  is  sometimes  found  upon  a  ledge  of  some 
precipitous  cliff,  should  the  bird  have  taken  up  its  residence  in  a  moun- 
tainous country.  Many  of  these  birds  have  built  their  nests  upon  the 
rocky  heights  of  Dovedale  in  Derbyshire,  and  may  be  seen  hovering  in 
mid-air  near  the  spot  where  their  young  are  nourished.  The  nest  itself 
is  a  very  simple  construction  of  sticks  and  moss ;  and  the  bird  is  so 
averse  to  trouble  that  it  often  takes  possession  of  the  deserted  nest  of 
the  carrion  crow.  I  have  several  times  been  greatly  surprised  in  my 
nest-hunting  expeditions  by  finding  the  ruddy  eggs  of  the  Kestrel  lying 
in  the  nest  which  I  thought  to  be  only  that  of  the  crow.  This  bird 'also 
deposts  its  eggs  in  the  crannies  of  old  ruined  buildings  and  lofty  towers, 
but  I  have  never  as  yet  been  fortunate  enough  to  find  them  in  such  a 
situation. 

The  color  of  the  male  Kestrel  is  briefly  as  follows  :  The  head,  cheeks, 
and  back  of  the  neck  are  ashen  gray,  marked  with  narrow  longitudinal 
streaks  of  deeper  gray.  The  back  and  upper  portions  of  the  body,  to- 
gether with  the  tertiaries  and  wing-coverts,  are  bright  ruddy  fawn,  dot- 
ted with  little  triangular  black  spots,  caused  by  the  extreme  tips  of  the 
feathers  being  black.     The  larger  quill  feathers  of  the  wing  are  black- 


THE  GOSHAWK. 


303 


gray,  marked  with  a  paler  hue  ;  the  under  portions  of  the  body  are  pale 
reddish  fawn,  marked  with  dark  streaks  on  the  chest  and  spotted  on  the 
abdomen  ;  the  thighs  and  under  tail-coverts  are  of  the  same  hue  as  the 
abdomen,  but  without  the  spots.  The  upper  surface  of  the  tail  is  of  the 
same  hue  as  the  head,  marked  with  a  single  broad  band  of  black  near 
its  extremity  and  tipped  with  white,  while  its  under  surface  is  gray- 
white,  marked  with  a  number  of  narrow  irregular  bars  of  a  darker  hue, 
in  addition  to  the  black  band  and  white  tip,  which  are  the  same  as  on 
the  upper  surface.  The  legs,  toes,  cere,  and  orbits  of  the  eyes  are  yel- 
low, the  claws  are  black,  and  the  beak  is  slaty  blue,  deepening  toward 
the  point. 

The  females  and  young  males  are  differently  marked,  and  are  alto- 
gether of  a  darker  and  more  ruddy  hue.  The  head  and  neck  are  ruddy 
fawn,  marked  with  many  transverse 
.darker  stripes,  and  the  back,  upper 
portions,  and  tail  are  red-brown  cov- 
ered with  numerous  irregular  blue- 
black  bars.  The  males  do  not  as- 
sume their  appropriate  plumage  until 
they  have  completed  their  first  year. 
The  length  of  the  male  bird  is  about 
thirteen  inches,  and  that  of  the  fe- 
male fifteen  inches. 

We  now  come  to  a  large  and  im- 
portant genus  of  Hawks,  which  is 
represented  in  England  by  the  Gos- 
hawk. 

This  handsome  bird  is  even  larger 
than  the  jer-falcon,  the  length  of  an 
adult  male  being  eighteen  inches,  and 
that  of  his  mate  rather  more  than  two 
feet.  It  is  not,  however,  so  powerful 
or  so  swift-winged  a  bird  as  the  jer- 
falcon,  and  its  mode  of  taking  prey 
is  entirely  different. 

When  trained,  the  Goshawk  is  best 
employed  at  hares,  rabbits,  and  other 
furred  game,  and  in  this  particular 
sport  is  unrivalled.  Its  mode  of  hunting  is  singularly  like  that  of  the 
chetah,  Avhich  has  already  been  mentioned  on  page  67.  Like  that 
animal,  it  is  not  nearly  so  swift  as  its  prey,  and  therefore  is  obliged 
to  steal  upon  and  seize  its  victim  by  a  sudden  and  unexpected  pounce. 
When  it  has  once  grasped  its  prey  it  is  rarely  found  to  loose  its  hold, 
even  after  the  most  violent  struggles  or  the  most  furious  attack. 


The  Goshawk  {Astur  palumbarius). 


304 


THE  SPARROW  HAWK. 


This  species  is  found  spread  over  nearly  the  whole  of  Europe  and; 
Asia,  and  has  also  been  seen  in  Northern  Africa.  The  nest  of  this 
bird  is  generally  placed  on  the  topmost  boughs  of  some  lofty  tree,  and 
the  eo-o-s  are  of  a  uniform  spotless  blue-white.  Their  number  is  from 
three  to  four,  and  the  young  are  hatched  about  May  or  the  beginning 
of  June. 

In  color  the  adult  birds  of  both  sexes  are  very  similar  to  each  other, 
the  tinting  of  the  plumage  being,  briefly,  as  follows:  The  top  of  the 
head  and  the  entire  upper  portions  of  the  body  and  wings  are  gray- 
brown,  and  the  under  portions  of  the  body,  together  with  a  baud  over 
the  cheeks  and  the  back  of  the  neck,  are  nearly  white,  diversified  with 
numerous  irregular  spots,  splashes,  and  partial  bars  of  black.  The 
cheeks  and  ear-coverts  are  dark  grayish  brown;  the  upper  surface  of 
the  tail  is  the  same  hue  as  the  back,  and  barred  with  dark  brown ;  the 
under  tail  coverts  are  white.  The  cere,  legs,  and  toes  are  yellow,  the 
claws  black,  and  the  beak  blue-black.  In  the  female  the  gray-brown 
of  the  back  is  a  more  ruddy  hue,  and  in  the  young  the  plumage  is 
curiously  diversified  with  reddish  white,  buflf,  and  gray. 

The  well-known  Sparrow  Hawk  is  almost  as  familiar  to  us  as  the 
kestrel,  the  two  birds  being,  indeed,  often  confounded  with  each  other 

by  those  who  ought  to  know  better. 
This  fine  and  active  little  bird  is  an 
inhabitant  of  many  portions  of  the 
world,  being  very  common  in  nearly 
all  parts  of  Europe,  equally  so  in 
Egypt  and  Northern  Africa,  and 
being  found  very  frequently  in  India 
and  other  Asiatic  countries. 

The  courage  of  the  Sparrow  Hawk 
is  of  the  most  reckless  character,  for 
the  bird  will  fly  unhesitatingly  at 
almost  any  other  inhabitant  of  air, 
no  matter  what  its  size  may  be. 

In  consequence  of  the  headlong 
courage  possessed  by  this  handsome 
little  hawk,  it  is  very  valuable  to 
the  falconer  if  properly  trained,  for 
it  will  dash  at  any  quarry  which 
maybe  pointed' out  to  it.  Unfortu- 
nately, however,  the  Sparrow  Hawk 
is  one  of  the  most  difficult  and  re- 
fractory of  pupils,  being  shy  to  a 
singular  degree,  slow  at  receiving  a  lesson,  and  quick  at  forgetting  it. 
Besides,  its  temper  is  of  a  very  crabbed  and  uncertain  nature,  and  it 


The  Sparrow  Hawk  {Accipiter 


THE  SECRETARY  BIRD. 


305 


is  so  quarrelsome  that  if  several  of  these  birds  should  be  fastened  to 
the  same  perch,  or  placed  iu  the  same  cage,  they  will  certainly  fight 
each  other,  and,  in  all  probability,  the  conqueror  will  eat  his  van- 
quished foe.  Such  an  event  has  actually  occurred,  the  victrix — for  it 
was  a  female — killing  and  devouring  her  intended  spouse. 

One  of  these  birds  afforded  an  excellent  example  of  the  shyness  above 
mentioned.  Althougli  he  was  most  kindly  treated  and  liberally  fed, 
he  used  to  scream  in  tlie  most  ear-piercing  manner  when  approached, 
even  by  the  person  who  generally  carried  his  food.  The  only  compan- 
ion whose  presence  he  would  tolerate  was  a  little  Skye  terrier  named 
Rosy,  and  the  two  strangely-matched  comrades  used  to  execute  the 
most  singular  gambols  together,  the  dog  generally  taking  the  initiative 
and  persecuting  the  Hawk,  until  she  forced  him  to  fly. 

The  nest  of  the  Sparrow  Hawk  is  placed  in  some  elevated  spot,  and 
contains  three  or  four  eggs,  rather  variable  in  their  marking,  but  always 
possessing  a  cer-  ^^^       ..-.=_ 

tain       unmistak-      ^^^^^  ^^^^ 

able  character. 
The  ground  tint 
of  the  egg  is  a 
grayish  white, 
slightly  tinged 
with  blue,  and  a 
number  of  bold 
blotches  of  a 
very  dark  brown 
are  placed  upon 
the  s  u  r  f a  c  e , 
sometimes  scat- 
tered rather  ir- 
regularly, but 
generally  form- 
ing a  broad  ring 
round  the  larger 
end.  The  bird 
seldom  troubles 
itself  to  build  a 
new  nest,  but 
takes  possession 
of  the  deserted 
tenement  of  a 
crow  or  rook. 

The    very    re- 
markable Secretary  Bird  derives  its  name  from  the  curious  feathery 
26 «  U  . 


The  Secretary  Bird  {Serpentarius  Secretarius). 


306  THE  HEN  HARRIER. 

pinnies  which  project  from  each  side  of  its  head,  and  bear  a  fanciful 
resemblance  to  pens  carried  behind  the  ear  by  human  secretaries. 

It  is  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Africa,  and  is  most  valuable  in  de- 
stroying the  serpent  race,  on  which  creatures  it  most  exclusively  feeds. 
Undaunted  by  the  deadly  teeth  of  the  cobra,  the  Secretary  Bird  comes 
boldly  to  the  attack,  and,  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  infuriated  and 
desperate  reptile,  is  sure  to  come  off  victorious.  Many  other  creatures 
fall  victims  to  the  ravenous  appetite  of  the  Secretary,  and  in  the  stom- 
ach of  one  of  these  birds  which  was  found  by  Le  Vaillant  were  discov- 
ered eleven  rather  large  lizards,  eleven  small  tortoises,  a  great  number 
of  insects  nearly  entire,  and  three  snakes  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm. 

The  nest  of  the  Secretary  is  built  on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  tree,  and 
contains  two  or  three  large  white  eggs. 

The  ordinary  length  of  the  adult  Secretary  Bird  is  about  three  feet, 
and  its  color  is  almost  wholly  a  slaty  gray.  The  peculiar  feathers 
which  form  the  crest  are  black,  as  are  the  primaries  and  the  feathers 
of  the  thigh.  There  is  a  lighter  patch  toward  the  abdomen.  The  tail 
is  black,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  central  rectrices,  which  are  gray, 
with  a  white  tip  and  a  broad  black  bar  toward  their  extremities,      v 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Harriers,  probably  so  called  because  they 
"  harry  "  and  persecute  the  game.  Several  species  of  this  genus  are  found 
in  England,  the  most  common  of  which  is  the  Hen  Harrier. 

The  Harrier  may  readily  be  distinguished  from  the  other  hawks  by 
the  manner  in  which  the  feathers  radiate  around  the  eyes,  forming  a 
kind  of  funnel-shaped  depression,  somewhat  similar  to,  but  not  so  per- 
fect as,  that  of  the  owl.  The  flight  of  the  Harrier  is  very  low,  being 
seldom  more  than  a  few  yards  above  the  ground,  and  as  the  bird  flies 
along  it  beats  every  bush  and  pries  into  every  little  covert  in  search  of 
prey.  There  are  few  of  the  smaller  animals  that  do  not  fall  victims  to 
the  Hen  Harrier,  which  is  always  ready  to  pick  up  a  field-mouse,  a 
lizard,  a  small  snake,  a  newt,  or  a  bird,  and  will  pounce  upon  even  so 
large  a  bird  as  a  partridge  or  a  pheasant.  Sometimes  it  sits  on  a  stone 
or  small  hillock,  and  from  that  post  keeps  up  a  vigilant  watch  on  the 
surrounding  country,  swooping  off  as  soon  as  it  observes  indications  of 
any  creature  on  which  it  may  feed. 

The  flight  of  the  Hen  Harrier,  although  it  is  not  remarkable  for  its 
power,  is  yet  very  swift,  easy,  and  gliding,  and,  as  the  bird  quarters  the 
ground  after  its  prey,  is  remarkably  graceful.  The  Harriers  prefer  to 
live  on  moors  and  similar  localities,  where  they  can  pursue  their  rather 
peculiar  mode  of  hunting,  and  where  thev  may  find  a  secluded  spot 
for  a  secure  home.  Like  the  kestrel,  the  Hen  Harrier  appears  to  have 
regular  hunting-grounds,  and  is  very  punctual  in  its  visits.  The  nest 
of  this  bird  is  generally  placed  under  the  shadow  of  some  convenient 
turze-bush,  and  is  composed  of  a  few  sticks  thrown  loosely  together,  in 


OWLS. 


307 


which  are  deposited  four  or  five  very  pale  blue  eggs.     The  young  are 
hatched  about  the  middle  of  June. 

The  two  sexes  differ  very  greatly  in  color,  and  until  comparatively 
recent  times  were  recorded  as  distinct  species.  The  general  color  of 
the  adult  male  is  ashen 
gray  from  the  beak  and 
upper  parts,  the  only  ex- 
ception being  the  prima- 
ries, which  are  black.  The 
throat  and  chin  are  nearly 
of  the  same  hue  as  the 
beak,  but  the  chest  and 
abdomen  are  white,  with  a 
slight  blue  tinge,  which  is 
lost  upon  the  plumage  of 
the  thigh.  On  the  under 
surface  of  the  tail  are  sev- 
eral indistinct  dark  bars, 
and  the  hair-like  feathers 
between  the  eye  and  the 
base  of  the  beak  are 
black.  The  legs,  toes, 
and  cere  are  yellow,  the 
claws  black,  and  the  beak 
nearly  black,  with  a  bluish 
tinge.     The  length  of  the 

male  bird  is  about  eigh-    The  Blue  Hawk  or  Hen  Harrier  {Circus 
teen  inches.  cyaneus). 

The  female  is  a  much  darker  bird,  the  back  and  upper  portions  be- 
ing of  a  deep  dusky  brown,  and  the  primaries  being  but  a  little  darker 
than  the  plumage  of  the  back.  The  feathers  of  the  under  parts  are 
lighter  brown,  with  pale  margins,  so  as  to  present  a  kind  of  mottled 
buff  and  chestnut  aspect;  the  upper  surface  of  the  tail  is  marked  with 
partial  dark  bands,  and  its  under  surface  is  very  distinctly  bound  with 
broad  bands  of  black  and  grayish  white.  The  funnel-shaped  depres- 
sion round  the  eyes — technically  called  the  concha,  or  shell — is  brown 
toward  the  base  of  the  feathers,  but  merges  into  a  white  eyebrow 
above,  reaching  to  the  cere.  Her  length  is  about  two  inches  more  than 
that  of  the  male,  and  her  spread  of  wing  is  about  three  feet  six  inches. 


OWLS. 

There  are  few  groups  of  birds  which  are  so  decidedly  marked  as  the 
Owls,  and  so  easy  of  recognition.      The  round,  puffy  head,  the  little 


308 


THE  SNOWY  OWL. 


hooked  beak  just  appearing  from  the  downy  plumage  with  which  it  is 
surrounded,  the  large,  soft,  blinking  eyes,  and  the  curious  disc  of  feathers 
which  radiate  from  the  eye  and  form  a  funnel-shaped  depression,  are 
such  characteristic  distinctions  that  an  Owl,  even  of  the  least  owl-like 
aspect,  can  at  once  be  detected  and  referred  to  its  proper  place  in  the 
animal  kingdom. 

These  birds  are,  almost  without  an  exception,  nocturnal  in  their 
habits,  and  are  fitted  for  their  peculiar  life  by  a  most  wonderfully 
adapted  form  and  structure.  The  eyes  are  so  made  as  to  take  in  every 
ray  of  light,  and  are  so  sensitive  to  its  influence  that  they  are  unable  to 
endure  the  glare  of  daylight,  being  formed  expressly  for  the  dim  light 
of  evening  or  earliest  dawn.  An  ordinary  Owl  of  almost  any  species, 
when  brought  into  the  full  light  of  day,  becomes  quite  bewildered  with 
the  unwonted  glare,  and  sits  blinking  uncomfortably  in  a  pitiable 
manner. 

The  Snowy  Owl  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  this  group — not  so 
much  on  account  of  its  dimensions,  which  are  not  very  considerable, 

but  by  reason  of  the  beautiful  white 
mantle  with  which  it  is  clothed,  and 
the  large  orange  eyeballs. 

This  bird  is  properly  a  native  of 
the  North  of  Europe  and  America, 
but  has  also  a  few  domains  in  the 
more  northern  parts  of  England,  be- 
ing constantly  seen,  though  rather  a 
scarce  bird,  in  the  Shetland  and 
Orkney  Islands,  where  it  builds  and 
rears  its  young.  Like  the  hawk  owl, 
it  is  a  day-flying  bird,  and  is  a  terrible 
foe  to  the  smaller  mammalia  and  to 
various  birds. 

In  proportion  to  its  size  the  Snowy 
Owl  is  a  mighty  hunter,  having  been 
detected  in  chasing  the  American 
hare,  and  carrying  off*  wounded  grouse 
before  the  sportsman  can  secure  his 
prey.  According  to  Yarrell,  the 
Swedish  name  of  Harfang,  which  has 
been  given  to  this  bird,  is  derived 
froni  its  habit  of  feeding  on  hares.  It  is  also  a  good  fisherman, 
posting  itself  on  some  convenient  spot  overhanging  the  water,  and 
securing  its  finny  prey  with  a  lightning-like  grasp  of  the  claw.  Some- 
times it  will  sail  over  the  surfoce  of  the  stream  and  snatch  the  fish  as 
they  rise  for  food,  but  its  general  mode  of  angliug  is  that  which  has 


The  Snowy  Owl  (Nydea  nivea). 


THE  BURROWING  OWL.  309 

just  been  mentioned.  It  is  also  a  great  eater  of  lemmings,  and  in  the 
destruction  of  these  quadrupedal  pests  does  infinite  service  to  the  agri- 
culturist and  the  population  in  general. 

The  color  of  an  old  Snowy  Owl  is  pure  white  without  any  markings 
whatever,  but  in  the  earlier  years  of  its  life  its  plumage  is  covered  with 
numerous  dark  brown  spots  and  bars,  caused  by  a  dark  tip  to  each 
feather.  Upon  the  breast  and  abdomen  these  markings  form  short 
abrupt  curves,  but  on  the  back  and  upper  surface  they  are  nearly^ 
straight.  The  beak  and  claws  are  black.  The  length  of  the  male 
Snowy  Owl  is  about  twenty-two  inches,  and  that  of  the  female  twenty- 
six  or  twenty-seven. 

The  quaint,  long-legged  little  Owl  which  is  represented  on  page  310 
is  a  native  of  many  parts  of  America,  where  it  inhabits  the  same  local- 
ity with  the  prairie  dog.  The  description  of  that  curious  marmot  and 
its  peculiar  burrow  may  be  found  on  pages  193-195. 

The  prairie-dogs  and  Burrowing  Owls  live  together  very  harmoni- 
ously, and  this  strange  society  is  said  also  to  be  augmented  by  a  third 
member — namely,  the  rattlesnake.  It  is  now,  however,  ascertained 
with  tolerable  accuracy  that  the  rattlesnake  is  nothing  but  a  very  un- 
welcome intruder  upon  the  marmot,  and,  as  has  been  shown  by  the 
Hon.  G.  F.  Berkeley's  experiments,  is  liable  to  be  attacked  and  de- 
stroyed by  the  legal  owner  of  the  burrow.  If  all  had  their  rights,  it 
would  seem  that  the  Owl  is  nearly  as  much  an  intruder  as  the  snake, 
and  that  it  only  takes  possession  of  the  burrow  excavated  by  the  prai- 
rie-dog in  order  to  save  itself  the  trouble  of  making  a  subterranean 
abode  for  itself.  Indeed,  there  are  some  parts  of  the  country  where 
the  Owl  is  perforce  obliged  to  be  its  own  workman,  and,  in  default  of 
convenient  "  dog  "  burrows,  is  fain  to  employ  its  claws  and  bill  in  ex- 
cavating a  home  for  itself. 

The  tunnel  which  is  made  by  the  Owl  is  not  nearly  so  deep  or  so 
neatly  constructed  as  that  which  is  dug  by  the  marmot,  being  only 
eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  in  depth,  and  very  rough  in  the  interior. 
At  the  bottom  of  this  burrow  is  placed  a  tolerably-sized  heap  of  dried 
grass,  moss,  leaves,  and  other  soft  substances,  upon  which  are  deposited 
its  white-shelled  eggs. 

The  Coquimbo  Owl  is  by  no  means  a  nocturnal  bird,  facing  the  glare 
of  the  mid-day  sun  without  inconvenience,  and  standing  at  all  times 
in  the  day  or  evening  on  the  little  heaps  of  earth  which  are  thrown  up 
at  the  entrance  of  the  burrow.  It  is  a  lively  little  bird,  moving  about 
among  the  burrows  with  considerable  vivacity,  rising  on  the  wing  if 
suddenly  disturbed,  and  making  a  short  undulating  aerial  journey  be- 
fore it  again  settles  upon  the  ground.  When  it  has  alighted  from  one 
of  these  little  flights  it  turns  round  and  earnestly  regards  the  pursuer. 
Sometimes  it  will  dive  into  one  of  the  burrows,  heedless  of  prior  occu- 


310 


THE  VIRGINIAN  EARED-OWL. 


pants,  and  thus  it  is  that  marmot,  owl,  and  snake  come  to  be  found  in 

the  same  burrow. 

The  color  of  the  Burrowing  Owl  is  a  rather  rich  brown  upon  the 

upper  parts  of  the  body,  diversified  with  a  number  of  small  gray-white 

spots,  and  altogether 
darker  upon  the  upper 
surface  of  the  wings. 
The  under  parts  are  gray- 
ish white.  The  length  of 
the  bird  is  not  quite  elev- 
en inches.  The  cry  of  this 
curious  bird  is  unlike  that 
of  anyother  Owl,  and  bears 
a  very  great  resemblance 
to  the  short,  sharp  bark 
of  the  prairie  dog. 

We    now  arrive   at  a 
large  group  of  Owls 
which  are  remarkable  for 
two  tufts  of  feathers 
which   rise   from  the 
A^  head,  and  occupy  nearly 
the  same  relative  position 
The  Coquimbo  ok  Burrowing  Owl  {Athene     ^s  the  ears  of  quadrupeds. 
cuniculana).  ^,  >>        .1 

inese  "ears,    as  they  are 

called,  have,  however,  nothing  to  do  with  the  organs  of  hearing,  but  are 
simply  tufts  of  feathers,  which  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at  the  will  of 
the  bird,  and  give  a  most  singular  expression  to  the  countenance. 

The  Virginian  Eared-Owl  is  found  spread  over  the  greater  portion 
of  North  America,  and  in  former  days  did  great  damage  among  the 
poultry  of  the  agriculturists,  being  a  bold  as  well  as  a  voracious  bird. 
Now,  however,  the  ever-ready  rifle  of  the  farmer  has  thinned  its  num- 
bers greatly,  and  has  inspired  the  survivors  with  such  awe  that  they 
mostly  keep  clear  of  cultivated  lands,  and  confine  themselves  to  seek- 
ing after  their  legitimate  prey. 

It  is  a  terrible  destroyer  of  game,  snatching  up  grouse,  partridges, 
hares,  ducks,  sparrows,  squirrels,  and  many  other  furred  and  feathered 
creatures,  and  not  unfrequently  striving  after  larger  quarry.  The  wild 
turkey  is  a  favorite  article  of  diet  with  this  Owl ;  but  on  account  of 
the  extreme  wariness  of  the  turkey  nature,  the  depredator  finds  an  un- 
seen approach  to  be  no  easy  matter.  The  usual  mode  in  which  the 
Owl  catches  the  turkey  is  to  find  out  a  spot  where  its  intended  prey  is 
quietly  sleeping  at  night,  and  then  to  swoop  down  suddenly  upon  the 
slumbering  bird   before  it  awakes.     Sometimes,  however,  the  Owl  is 


THE  BEOWN  OWL. 


311 


baffled  iu  a  very  curious  manner.  When  the  turkey  happens  to  be 
roused  by  the  rush  of  the  winged  foe,  it  instinctively  ducks  its  head 
and  spreads  its  tail  flatly  over  its  back.  The  Owl,  impinging  upon 
the  slippery  plane  of  stift*  tail  feathers,  finds  no  hold  for  its  claws,  and 
glides  off  the  back  of  its  intended  victim,  which  immediately  dives 
into  the  brushwood  before  the  Owl  can  recover  from  the  surprise  of  its 
unexpected  failure. 

The  flight  of  this  bird  is  remarkably  powerful,  easy,  and  graceful, 
as  may  be  gathered  from  the  enormous  expanse  of  wing  in  comparison 
with  the  weight  and  dimensions  of  the  body. 
Its  voice  is  of  a  hollow  and  weird-like  character, 
and  when  heard  by  night  from  some  spot  on 
which  the  Owl  has  silently  settled  is  apt  to 
cause  many  a  manly  cheek  to  pale.  As  Wil- 
son well  observes,  the  loud  and  sudden  cry  of 
"Waugh  O!  Waugh  O!"  is  sufficient  to  alarm 
a  whole  garrison  of  soldiers.  Probably  on  ac- 
count of  the  peculiar  sounds  which  are  uttered 
by  this  bird,  the  Cree  Indians  know  it  by  the 
name  of  Ottoumck-oho. 

The  Virginian  Horned  Owl  takes  up  \is  res- 
idence in  the  deep  swampy  forests,  where  it  re- 
mains hidden  during  the  day,  and  comes  out  at 
night  and  morning,  heralding  its  approach  with 
its  loud  unearthly  cries,  as  of  an  unquiet,  wan- 
dering spirit.  Sometimes,  according  to  Wilson, 
"  he  has  other  nocturnal  solos,  one  of  which  very 
strikingly  resembles  the  half-suppressed  screams 
of  a  person  suffocating  or  throttled."  The  Virginian  Eared- 

The  common  Brown  Owl— or  Tawny  Owl,  ^wl  {Bubo  Virgmianm). 
as  it  is  often  named — is,  with  the  exception  of  the  Barn  Owl,  one  of 
the  best  known  of  the  British  Owls. 

Although  rather  a  small  bird,  being  only  about  fifteen  inches  in  total 
length,  it  is  possessed  of  a  powerful  pounce  and  an  audacious  spirit,  and 
when  roused  to  anger  or  urged  by  despair  is  a  remarkably  unchancy 
antagonist. 

The  food  of  this  Owl  is  of  a  very  varied  nature,  consisting  of  all  the 
smaller  mammalia,  many  reptiles,  some  birds,  fishes  when  it  can  get 
them,  and  insects.  It  seems  to  be  a  good  fisherman,  and  catches  its 
finny  prey  by  waiting  on  the  stones  that  project  a  little  above  the 
water,  and  adroitly  snatching  the  fish  from  the  stream  by  a  rapid 
movement  of  the  foot.  Sometimes  it  flies  at  much  higher  game,  espe- 
cially when  it  has  a  young  family  to  maintain,  and  will  then  attack 
birds  and  quadrupeds  of  very  great  size  when  compared  with  its  own 


312         THE  SCOPS  EARED-OWL  AND  THE  WHITE  OWL. 

dimensions.  In  a  single  nest  of  this  bird  have  been  found,  according 
to  a  writer  in  the  Field,  three  young  Owls,  five  leverets,  four  young 
rabbits,  three  thrushes,  and  one  trout  weighing  nearly  half  a  pound. 

The  voice  of  the  Brown  Owl  is  a  loud  monotonous  hoot  that  may  be 
often  heard  in  the  evening  in  localities  where  the  bird  has  made  its 
home. 

The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree,  and  contains  sev- 
eral white  eggs.  The  fcolor  of  the  Brown  or  Tawny  Owl  is  an  ashen 
gray  upon  the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  variegated  with  chocolate  and 
wood-brown.  Several  whitish-gray  bars  are  seen  upon  the  primaries, 
and  there  are  several  rows  of  whitish  spots  upon  the  wings  and  scapularies. 
The  facial  disc  is  nearly  white,  edged  with  brown,  and  the  under  surface 
of  the  body  is  of  the  same  hue,  covered  with  longitudinal  mottlings  of 
variously-tinted  brown.  The  claws  are  nearly  white  at  their  base, 
darkening  toward  their  extremities,  and  the  beak  is  nearly  of  the 
same  color.     The  eyes  are  of  a  very  dark  black-blue. 

This  species  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  and  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  indigenous  birds  of  Japan. 

We  now  come  to  an  example  of  the  British  Owls,  a  bird  that  has  at- 
tracted great  notice  on  account  of  its  singular  aspect. 

The  Scops  Eared-owl  has  been  once  or  twice  found  in  Yorkshire, 
but  usually  resides  in  the  southern  parts  of  the  Continent.  It  is  re- 
markable for  the  regularity  with  which  it 
utters  its  monotonous  cry,  as  if  a  person 
Avere  constantly  repeating  the  letter  Q;  at 
regular  intervals  of  two  seconds.  It  does 
not  seem  to  prey  upon  mice  and  other  an- 
imals, like  most  of  its  relations,  but  feeds 
on  large  insects,  such  as  beetles  and  grass- 
hoppers. The  size  of  this  owl  is  very  small, 
as  it  measures  only  seven  inches  in  length; 
the  third  primary  feather  is  the  longest.  It 
ays  from  two  to  four  white  eggs  in  a  simple 
nest  made*in  a  hollow  tree  or  in  a  cleft  in 
the  rock. 

The  best  known  of  the  British  Owls  is 
the  White,  Barn,  or  Screech  Owl,  by 
either  of  which   appellations   the   bird   is 

^"T>Ji'^:^"i:^::;:!- f^^f'^^y  ^-o.-  over  the  whole  of  Eng- 

land. 

This  delicately-colored  and  soft-plumed  bird  is  always  found  near 

human  habitations,  and  is  generally  in  the  vicinity  of  farmyards,  where 

It  loves  to  dwell,  not  for  the  sake  of  devouring  the  young  poultry,  but 

of  eating  the  various  mice  which  make  such  havoc  in  the  ricks,  fields, 


THE  WHITE  OWL.  313 

and  barns.     The  "  feathered  cat,"  as  this  bird  has  happily  been  termed, 

is  a  terrible  foe  to  mice,  especially  to  the  common  field-mouse,  great 

numbers  of  which  are  killed  daily  by  a  single  pair  of  Owls  when  they 

are  bringing  up  their  young  family.     In  the  evening  dusk,  when  the 

mice  begin  to  stir  abroad  in  search  of  a  mole,  the  Owl  starts  in  search 

of  the  mi(,.9,  and  with  noiseless  flight 

quarters  the  ground  in  a  sportsmanlike 

and  systematic  manner,  watching  with 

its  great  round  eyes   every  movement 

of  a  grass-blade,  and  catching  with  its 

sensitive  ears  every  sound  that  issues 

from  behind.     Never  a  field-mouse  can 

come  within  ken  of  the  bird's  eye,  or 

make  the  least  rustling  among  the  leaves 

within  hearing  of  the  Owl's  ear,  that  is  n.   ^  -d.^     r\'^^''^%c,  •    n  \ 

^    ,  ^     ^    ,  ^    ,  T       rr,,        1  T^HE  Barn  Owl  [Strix  flammea). 

not  detected  and  captured.      Ihe  claws 

are  the  instruments  by  which  the  Owl  seizes  its  victim,  and  it  does  not 

employ  the  beak  until  it  desires  to  devour  the  prey. 

This  bird  is  easily  tamed  when  taken  young,  and  is  a  very  amusing 
pet.  If  properly  treated,  and  fed  with  appropriate  diet,  it  will  live  for 
a  considerable  time  without  requiring  very  close  attendance.  Even  if 
it  be  set  at  liberty,  and  its  wings  permitted  to  reach  their  full  growth, 
it  will  voluntarily  remain  with  its  owner,  whom  it  recognizes  with  evi- 
dent pleasure,  evincing  its  dislike  of  strangers  by  a  sharp  hiss  and  an 
impatient  snap  of  the  bill. 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  placed  either  in  a  hollow  tree  or  in  a  crevice 
of  some  old  building,  where  it  deposits  its  white,  rough-surfaced  eggs 
upon  a  soft  layer  of  dried  "  castings."  These  nests  have  a  most  ill-con- 
ditioned and  penetrating  odor,  which  taints  the  hand  which  is  intro- 
duced, and  cannot  be  removed  without  considerable  care  and  several 
lavations.  The  young  are  curious  little  puffs  of  white  down,  and  the 
Barn  Owl  is  so  prolific  that  it  has  been  kno>vn  to  be  sitting  on  one  brood 
of  eggs  while  it  is  feeding  the  young  of  a  previous  hatching. 

As  may  be  supposed  from  its  popular  title  of  White  Owl,  this  species 
is  very  light  in  its  coloring.  The  general  color  of  this  bird  is  buff  of 
different  tints,  with  gray,  white,  and  black  variegations.  The  head 
and  neck  are  light  bufl^,  speckled  slightly  with  black  and  white  spots, 
and  the  back  and  wings  are  of  a  deeper  buff*,  spotted  with  gray,  black, 
and  white.  The  tail  is  also  buff",  with  several  broad  bars  of  gray.  The 
facial  disc  is  nearly  white,  becoming  rusty  brown  toward  the  eye,  and 
a  deeper  brown  round  the  edge. 

The  under  surface  of  the  male  bird  is  beautifully  white,  the  claws 
are  brown,  the  beak  nearly  white,  and  the  eyes  blue-black.  The  sexes 
are  very  similar  in  their  coloring,  but  the  females  and  young  males 
27 


314 


GOAT-SUCKEKS. 


may  be  distinguished  by  the  under  surface  of  the  body,  which  is  fawn 
instead  of  white. 

GOAT-SUCKERS. 

With  the  owls  closes  the  history  of  those  birds  which  are  called  pre- 
daceous,  although  to  a  considerable  extent  nearly  all  birds  are  somewhat 
predaceous,  even  if  they  prey  upon  smaller  victims  than  do  the  vultures, 
eagles,  falcons,  or  owls.  Next  to  the  predaceous  birds  come  the  passeres, 
distinguished  by  their  cereless  and  pointed  beak,  their  legs  feathered 
as  far  as  the  heel,  their  tarsus  covered  in  front  with  shield-like  scales, 
and  their  slightly-curved  and  sharply-pointed  claws.  This  order  is  a 
very  large  one,  and  embraces  a  vast  variety  of  birds. 

First  among  the  Passerine  birds  are  placed  the  Fissirostres,  or  cleft- 
beaked  birds,  so  called  from  the  enormous  gape  of  the  mouth,  a  structure 

which  is  intended  to  aid 
them  in  the  capture  of  the 
agile  prey  on  which  they 
feed. 

The  Goat-suckers,  as 
they  are  familiarly  termed 
— from  a  stupid  notion  that 
was  formerly  in  gTeat  vogue 
ami)ng  farmers,  and  is  not 
even  yet  quite  extinct,  that 
these  birds  were  in  the  habit 
of  sucking  the  wild  goats, 
cows,  and  sheep — are  placed 
first  among  the  Fissiros- 
tres on  account  of  the  won- 
derfully perfect  manner  in 
which  their  structure  is 
adapted  to  the  chasing  and 
securing  of  the  swift-wing- 
ed insects  on  which  they 
feed.  The  color  of  all 
these  birds  is  sombre, 
black,  brown,  and  gray 
being  the  prevailing  tints. 
The  gape  of  the  mouth  is 
so  large  that  when  the  bird 
opens  its  beak  to  its  fullest 
extent,  it  seems  to  have  been  severely  wounded  across  the  mouth,  and 
the  plumage  is  lax  and  soft  like  that  of  the  owl. 

There  are    many    well-known    proverbs   relating  to    the   power  of 


The  Night-hawk  or  Goat-sucker 

{Caprimulgus), 
1.  Male.     2.  Female. 


THE  GOAT-SUCKER.  315 

calumny  and  the  readiness  with  which  an  evil  report  is  received  and 
retained,  notwithstanding  that  it  has  repeatedly  been  proved  to  be 
false  and  libellous.  The  common  Goat-sucker  is  a  good  instance 
of  the  truth  of  this  remark,  for  it  was  called  Aigoiheles,  or  Goat-sucker, 
by  Aristotle  in  the  days  of  old,  and  has  religiously  been  supposed  to 
have  sucked  goats  ever  afterward.  The  Latin  word  caprimulgns  bears 
the  same  signification.  It  was  even  supposed  that  after  the  bird  had 
succeeded  in  sucking  some  unfortunate  goat  the  fount  of  nature  was 
immediately  dried  up,  and  the  poor  beast  also  lost  its  sight.  Starting 
from  this  report,  all  kinds  of  strange  rumors  flew  about  the  world,  and 
the  poor  Goat-sucker — or  Nightjar,  as  it  ought  more  rightly  to  be 
called — has  invariably  been  hated  as  a  bird  of  ill-omen  to  man  and 
beast. 

As  usual,  mankind  reviles  its  best  benefactors,  for  there  are  very 
few  creatures  which  do  such  service  to  mankind  as  the  Nightjar. 
Arriving  in  this  country  in  the  month  of  May  or  June,  it  reaches  our 
shores  just  in  time  to  catch  the  cockchafers  as  they  fly  about  during 
the  night  in  search  of  their  food,  and  does  not  leave  us  until  it  has 
done  its  best  to  eat  every  chafer  that  comes  across  its  path. 

The  Nightjar  also  feeds  on  moths  of  various  kinds,  and  catches  them 
by  sweeping  quickly  and  silently  among  the  branches  of  the  trees  near 
which  the  moth  tribes  most  love  to  congregate.  While  engaged  in 
their  sport  they  will  occasionally  settle  on  a  bank,  a  wall,  a  post,  or 
other  convenient  perch,  crouch  downward  until  they  bring  their  head 
almost  on  a  level  with  their  feet,  and  utter  the  peculiar  churning  note 
which  has  earned  for  them  the  name  of  Churn-owls,  Jar-owls,  and 
Spinners.  Their  cry  has  been  rather  well  compared  to  that  sound 
which  is  produced  by  the  larger  beetles  of  the  night,  but  of  course 
much  louder,  and  with  the  addition  of  the  characteristic  "chur-r-r! — 
chur-r-r !"  Sometimes,  although  but  seldom,  the  Nighjar  utters  its  cry 
while  on  the  wing.  When  it  settles  it  always  seats  itself  along  a 
branch,  and  almost  invariably  with  its  head  pointing  toward  the  trunk 
of  the  tree. 

There  is  also  a  strange  squeaking  sound  which  is  emitted  by  the 
Nightjar  while  playing  round  the  trees  at  night,  and  which  is  supposed 
to  be  a  cry  of  playfulness  or  a  call  to  its  mate. 

Unlike  the  Falconidie,  the  Goat-sucker  catches  its  prey,  not  with  its 
claw's,  but  with  its  mouth,  and  is  aided  in  retaining  them  in  that  very 
wide  receptacle  by  the  glutinous  secretion  with  which  it  is  lined,  and 
the  "  vibrissse  "  or  hair-like  feathers  which  surround  its  margin.  On 
an  examination  of  the  foot  of  this  bird,  the  claw  of  the  middle  toe  is 
seen  to  be  serrated  like  the  teeth  of  a  comb,  a  structure  which  has 
never  yet  been  satisfactorily  explained,  notwithstanding  the  various 
theories  which  have  been  put  forward  concerning  its  use.     The  hind- 


316 


SWALLOWS. 


toe  of  each  foot  is  very  mobile,  aud  can  be  brought  round  to  the 
remaining  toes,  so  that  all  the  claws  take  their  hold  in  the  same 
direction.  Apparently,  this  structure  is  intended  to  enable  the  bird 
to  run  along  the  branches  of  trees  in  its  nocturnal  chase  after  beetles 
and  other  insects. 

The  Nightjar  makes  no  nest,  but,  choosing  some  sheltered  hollow 

under  the  shade  of  a 
grass  tuft,  a  bunch  of 
fern,  bramble,  or  other 
defence,  there  lays  two 
eggs  on  the  bare  ground. 
The  color  of  the  egg  is 
grayish  white,  plentifully 
mottled  with  pale  buff 
and  gray.  The  young 
are  very  similar  to  those 
of  the  cuckoo.  The 
plumage  of  the  Nightjar 
is  very  rich  in  its  color- 
of  buff, 
white, 
brown,  and  chestnut  be- 
ing arranged  in  pleasing 
but  most  intricate  pat- 
terns, and  easier  to  be 
understood  from  a  pencil 
illustration  than  a  de- 
scription of  the  pen. 

The  Whip-poor-will 
also  belongs  to  this  group 
of  birds,  and  is  familiar- 


ing,    the    tints 
gray,   black 


The  Whip-poor-will  {Capr-imulgus  vocifer, 
1.  Male.     2.  Female. 


ly  known  by  the  peculiar  melancholy  cry,  which  very  much  resembles 
the  other  odd  names  by  which  it  is  called. 


SWALLOWS. 

The  close-set  plumage  of  the  Swallow  tribe,  their  long  sickle-like 
wings,  their  stiff;- firm  tail,  forked  in  most  of  the  species,  and  their  slight 
legs  and  toes,  are  characteristics  which  mark  them  out  as  birds  which 
spend  the  greater  part  of  their  existence  in  the  air,  and  exercise  their 
wings  far  more  than  their  feet. 

They  all  feed  upon  insects  and  capture  their  prey  in  the  air,  ascend- 
ing at  one  time  to  such  a  height  that  they  are  hardly  perceptible  to  the 
naked  eye,  and  look  merely  like  tiny  dots  moving  upon  the  sky ;  while 


THE  SWIFT. 


317 


at  other  seasons  they  skim  the  earth  and  play  for  hours  together  over 
the  surface  of  the  water,  in  chase  of  the  gnats  that  emerge  in  myriads 
from  the  streams.  The  gape  of  the  mouth  is  therefore  exceedingly 
great  in  these  hirds,  reaching  as  far  as  a  point  below  the  eyes.  The 
bill  itself  is  very  short,  flattened,  pointed,  slightly  curved  downward, 
and  broad  at  the  base. 

The  group  which  is  scientifically  termed  the  Hirundinidse  is  a  very 
Jarge  one,  and  is  divided  into  two  lesser  groups,  the  members  of  one 
being  classed  together  under  the  title  of  Swifts,  while  the  others  are 
known  by  the  name  of  Swallows.  With  the  former  birds  we  have  first 
to  deal. 

The  Sw^iFTS  are  readily  distinguished  from  the  Swallows  by  the  very 
great  comparative  length  of  the  first  two  primary  feathers  of  the  wing, 
which  are  either  equal  to  each  other  or  have  the  second  feather  longer 
than  the  first.  The  secondaries  are  remarkably  small,  being  nearly 
concealed  under  the  coverts.  There  are  ten  primaries  in  the  wing,  and 
the  same  number  of  quill  feathers  in  the  tail. 


The  Swift  {Cypselus  apus). 

The  true  S>vifts — of  which  England  aflTords  two  examples,  one  very 
familiarly  known,  and  the  other  a  very  rare  and  almost  unnoticed  spe- 
cies— are  remarkable  for  the  feathered  tarsus,  the  long  wings,  and  the 
peculiar  form  of  the  feet.  In  this  member  all  the  toes  are  directed 
forward — a  structure  which  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  which 
it  fulfils.  The  Swifts  build  their  nests— or  rather  lay  their  eggs,  for 
the  nest  is  hardly  worthy  of  the  name — in   holes  under  the  eaves  of 


318  THE  SWIFT. 

houses,  or  in  similar  localities,  and  would  find  themselves  greatly  incon- 
venienced when  seeking  admission  into  their  domiciles  but  for  the 
shape  of  the  feet,  which  enables  them  to  cling  to  the  slightest  projec- 
tion, and  to  clamber  up  a  perpendicular  surface  with  perfect  ease  and 
safety. 

Devoid  of  all  pretensions  to  the  brilliantly-tinted  plumage  which  dec- 
orates so  many  of  its  relations,  and  clad  only  in  sober  black  and  gray, 
the  common  Swift  is,  nevertheless,  one  of  the  most  pleasing  and  inter- 
esting of  the  British  birds,  resting  its  claims  to  favorable  notice  upon 
its  graceful  form  and  its  unrivalled  powers  of  wing. 

There  are  very  few  birds  which  are  so  essentially  inhabitants  of  the  air 
as  our  common  Swift,  which  cuts  the  atmosphere  with  its  sabre-like 
wings  with  such  marvellous  ease  and  rapidity  that  at  times  its  form  is 
hardly  discernible  as  it  shoots  along,  and  it  leaves  the  impression  of  a 
dark  black  streak  upon  the  eyes  of  the  observer.  The  plumage  of 
this  bird  is  constructed  especially  with  a  view  to  securing  great  speed, 
as  may  be  seen  by  an  inspection  of  the  closely-set  and  firmly-webbed 
feathers  with  which  the  entire  body  and  limbs  are  clad.  The  muscles 
which  move  the  wings  are  enormously  developed,  and  in  consequence 
the  breast-bone  is  furnished  with  a  remarkably  strong  and  deep 
"  keel." 

The  flight  of  the  Swift  is  quite  peculiar  to  the  bird,  and  cannot  be 
mistaken  for  even  that  of  the  swallow  by  any  one  who  has  a  practical 
acquaintance  with  the  habits  of  the  two  species.  The  Swnft  does  not 
flap  its  wings  so  often  as  the  swallow,  and  has  a  curious  mode  of  shoot- 
ing through  the  air  as  if  hurled  from  some  invisible  bow,  and  guiding 
itself  in  its  headlong  course  by  means  of  its  wings  and  tail. 

This  indefatigable  bird  is  an  early  riser,  and  very  late  in  returning 
to  rest— later,  indeed,  than  any  of  the  diurnal  birds.  Though  engaged 
in  flight  during  the  livelong  day,  the  Swift  appears  to  be  proof  against 
fatigue,  and  will,  during  the  long  summer  days,  remain  upon  the  wing 
until  after  nine  in  the  evening.  As  the  days  become  shorter  the  Swift 
is  found  to  retire  earlier,  but  during  its  stay  in  this  country  it  is  almost 
invariably  later  than  other  birds,  sometimes  being  on  the  wing  together 
with  the  owl.  Indeed,  the  air  seems  to  the  Swift  even  a  more  familiar 
element  than  the  earth,  and  the  bird  is  able  to  pass  the  whole  of 
Its  life,  and  to  perform  all  the  bodily  functions,  except  those  of 
sleep,  while  upborne  on  the  untiring  pinions  with  which  it  is  furnished. 
The  Swift  that  has  a  nest  to  take  care  of  is  forced  to  descend  at  inter- 
vals for  the  purpose  of  supplying  its  family  with  food,  but,  except  when 
urged  by  such  considerations,  it  is  able  to  remain  in  the  air  for  many 
successive  hours  without  needing  to  rest. 

The  Swifts  may  generally  be  found  near  buildings,  rocks,  and  clifls, 
for  m  such  localities  they  build  their  nests,  and  from  their  home  they 


THE  ESCULENT  SWALLOW.  319 

seldom  wander  to  any  great  distance  as  long  as  they  remain  in  the 
country. 

In  general,  the  Swift  loves  to  build  its  nest  in  a  hole  under  a  roof, 
whether  slated,  tiled,  or  thatched,  preferring,  however,  the  warm,  thick 
straw-thatch  to  the  tile  or  slate.  Sometimes  it  makes  a  hole  in  the 
thatch,  through  which  it  gains  access  to  the  nest,  but  in  most  instances 
it  makes  use  of  some  already-existing  crevice  for  that  purpose.  In  all 
cases  the  nest  is  placed  above  the  entrance,  and  may  generally  be  found 
about  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  from  the  orifice.  Even  by  the  touch 
the  eggs  of  the  Swift  may  be  discerned  from  those  of  any  other  bird, 
as  their  length  is  singularly  disproportionate  to  their  width. 

The  sound  which  these  birds  utter  is  of  the  most  piercing  description, 
and  can  be  heard  at  a  very  great  distance,  thus  betraying  them  when 
they  are  hawking  after  the  high-flying  insects  at  such  an  altitude  that 
their  forms  are  hardly  perceptible  to  the  unassisted  eye. 

The  nest  is  a  very  firmly  made  but  yet  rude  and  inartificial  structure. 
The  materials  of  which  it  is  made  are  generally  straw,  hay,  and  feathers, 
pieces  of  rag,  or  any  soft  and  warm  substance  which  the  bird  may  find 
in  its  rambles,  and  when  woven  into  a  kind  of  nest  are  firmly  cemented 
together  with  a  kind  of  glutinous  substance  secreted  by  certain  glands. 
In  Norway  and  Sweden  the  Swift  builds  in  hollow  trees.  The  eggs  are 
from  two  to  five  in  number,  not  often,  however,  exceeding  three,  and  in 
color  they  are  pure  white.  In  this  country  the  Swift  pays  but  a  very 
short  visit,  as  the  bird  evidently  requires  a  v§ry  high  temperature,  and 
is  forced  to  depart  as  soon  as  the  weather  becomes  chilly.  Generally 
the  Swifts  leave  England  by  the  end  of  August,  but  there  are  often  in- 
stances where  a  solitary  bird  has  delayed  its  voyages  for  some  good 
reason. 

Among  the  many  "  travellers'  tales  "  which  called  forth  such  repudi- 
ation and  ridicule  from  the  sceptical  readers  of  the  earlier  voyagers,  the 
accounts  of  the  Chinese  cuisine  were  held  to  be  amongst  the  most  ex- 
travagant. 

That  civilized  beings  should  condescend  to  eat  dogs  and  rats  specially 
fattened  for  the  table  was  an  idea  from  which  their  own  better  sense  re- 
volted ;  that  the  same  nation  should  reckon  sharks'  fins  and  sea-slugs 
among  their  delicacies  was  clearly  an  invention  of  the  writer  ;  but  that 
the  Chinese  should  make  soup  out  of  birds'  nests  was  an  absurdity  so 
self-evident  that  it  destroyed  all  possibility  of  faith  in  the  writers'  pre- 
vious assertions. 

The  birds  that  make  these  remarkable  nests  belong  to  several  species, 
four  of  which  have  been  acknowledged.  These  are  the  Esculent 
Swallow,  the  Linchi  {Collocalia  fuciphaga),  the  White-backed  Swal- 
low [Collocalia  troglodytes),  and  the  Gray-backed  Swallow  {Colloccdia 
Francica). 


320 


THE  SWALLOW. 


Tliese  nests  could  hardly  be  recognized  as  specimens  of  bird-archi- 
tecture  by  any  one  who  had  not  previously  seen  them,  as  they  look 
much  more  like  a  set  of  sponges,  corals,  or  fungi  than  nests  of  birds. 
They  are  most  irregular  in  shape,  are  adherent  to  each  other,  and  are 
so  rudely  made  that  the  hollow  in  which  the  eggs  and  young  are  in- 
tended to  live  is  barely  per- 
ceptible. They  are  always 
placed  against  the  face  of  a 
perpendicular  rock,  gener- 
ally upon  the  side  of  one 
of  the  tremendous  caverns 
in  Java  and  other  places 
where  these  strange  birds 
love  to  dwell.  The  men 
who  procure  the  nests  are 
lowered  by  ropes  from 
above,  and  their  occupation 
is  always  considered  as  per- 
ilous in  the  extreme. 

The  nests  are  of  very 
different  value,  those  which 
have  been  used  in  rearing  a 
brood  of  young  being  com- 
paratively low  in  price, 
while  those  which  are  quite 
new  and  nearly  white  are 
held  in  such  esteem  that 
they  are  worth  their  weight 
in  silver. 

In  the  British  Museum 
may  be  seen  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  the  nest  of  the 
Esculent  Sw-allow,  comprehending  a  mass  of  the  nests  still  adhering  to 
the  rock.  It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  birds  have  a  habit  of 
building  these  curious  nests  in  horizontal  layers. 

The  Esculent  Swallow  is  a  small  bird,  and  its  color  is  brown  on  the 
upper  parts  of  the  body,  and  white  beneath.  The  extremity  of  the  tail 
is  grayish  white.  The  British  Museum  possesses  specimens  of  all  the 
Swallows  which  are  known  to  make  these  curious  edible  nests. 

The  elegantly-shaped  and  beautifully-colored  Swallow  may  be 
readily  distinguished  from  any  of  its  British  relations  by  the  Very 
great  elongation  of  the  feathers  which  edge  its  tail,  and  which  form 
nearly  two-thirds  of  the  bird's  entire  length. 

It  is  the  most  familiar  of  all  the  Hiruudinidse  of  England,  and  from 


Swallows. 
1.  Barn  Swallow.      2.  Female, 
Swallow.     4.  Bank  Swallow. 


3.  White-bellied 


ITS  NEST.  321 

its  great  familiarity  with  man,  and  the  trustfulness  with  which  it  fixes 
its  domicile  under  the  shelter  of  human  habitations,  is  generally  held 
as  an  almost  sacred  bird,  in  common  with  the  robin  and  the  wren. 

The  Swallow  wages  a  never-ceasing  war  against  many  species  of  in-. 
sects,  and  seems  to  be  as  capricious  in  its  feeding  as  are  the  roach  and 
other  river  fish. 

The  nest  of  the  Swallow  is  always  placed  in  some  locality  where  it  is 
effectually  sheltered  from  wind  and  rain.  Generally  it  is  constructed 
under  the  eaves  of  houses,  but,  as  it  is  frequently 
built  within  disuTsed  chimneys,  it  has  given  to  the 
species  the  popular  title  of  Chimney  Swallow.  The 
bird  is  probably  attracted  to  the  chimney  by  the 
warmth  of  some  neighbor  fire. 

The  nest  is  composed  externally  of  mud  or  clay, 
which  is  brought  by  the  bird  in  small  lumps  and 
stuck  in  irregular  rows  so  as  to  build  up  the  sides 
of  its  little  edifice.  There  is  an  attempt  at  smooth- 
ing the  surface  of  the  nest,  but  each  lump  of  clay 
is  easily  distinguishable  upon  the  spot  where  it  has  The  Chimney 
been  stuck.     While  engaged  at  the  commencement  Swallow. 

of  its  labors,  the  Swallow  clings  perpendicularly  to  the  wall  of  the 
house  or  chimney,  clinging  with  its  sharp  little  claws  to  any  small  pro- 
jection, and  sticking  itself  by  the  pressure  of  its  tail  against  the  wall. 
The  interior  of  the  nest  is  lined  with  grass  and  other  soft  substances. 

There  are  sometimes  "two  broods  in  the  year,  and  when  the  second 
brood  has  been  hatched  at  a  very  late  period  of  the  year,  the  young 
are  frequently  deserted  and  left  to  starve  by  their  parents,  who  are  un- 
able to  resist  the  innate  impulse  that  urges  them  to  seek  a  warmer  cli- 
mate. When  fully  fledged,  and  before  they  are  foiiced  to  migrate,  the 
young  birds  generally  roost  for  the  night  in  osiers  and  other  water-lov- 
ing trees. 

Except  in  confinement,  the  Swallow  knows  not  the  existence  of  frost 
or  the  extreme  of  heat,  passing  from  Europe  to  Africa  as  soon  as  the 
cold  weather  begins  to  draw  in,  and  migrating  again  to  the  cooler  climes 
as  soon  as  the  temperature  of  its  second  home  becomes  inconvenient  to 
its  sensitive  existence.  The  time  of  its  arrival  in  England  is  various, 
and  depends  almost  entirely  on  the  state  of  the  weather.  Solitary  in- 
dividuals are  now  and  then  seen  in  very  early  months,  but,  as  a  general 
fact,  the  Swallow  does  not  arrive  until  the  second  week  in  April;  the 
time  of  its  departure  is  generally  about  the  middle  of  September,  al- 
though some  few  lingerers  remain  in  the  country  for  more  than  a  month 
after  the  departure  of  their  fellows. 

Guided  by  some  wondrous  instinct,  the  Swallow  always  finds  its  way 
back  to  the  nest  which  it  had  made,  or  in  which  it  had  been  reared,  as 

V 


322  THE  FAIRY  MARTIN. 

has  frequently  been  proved  by  affixing  certain  marks  to  individual 
birds  and  watching  for  their  return.  Bonietimes  it  happens  that  the 
house  on  which  they  had  built  has  been  taken  down  during  their 
absence,  and  in  that  case  the  distress  of  the  poor  birds  is  quite  pit- 
iable. They  fly  to  and  fro  over  the  spot  in  vain  search  after  their 
lost  homes/and  fill  the  air  with  the  mournful  cries  that  tell  of  their 
sorrow. 

The  Swallow  is  widely  spread  over  various  parts  of  the  world,  being 
familiarly  known  throughout  the  whole  of  Europe,  not  excepting  Nor- 
wav,  Sweden,  and  the  northern  portions  of  the  Continent.  It  is  also 
seen  in  Western  Africa,  and  Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  an  instance  where 
it  was  observed  in  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  which  is  situated  upon  the 
equator.     The  martin  and  the  swift  were  seen  at  the  same  place. 

The  color  of  the  Swallow  is  very  beautiful.  Upon  the  forehead  the 
feathers  are  of  a  light  chestnut,  which  gives  place  to  deep  glossy  steel- 
blue  upon  the  upper  portions  of  the  body  and  wings.  The  primaries 
and  secondaries  are  black,  as  are  the  tail-feathers,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  white  patches.  The  throat  is  chestnut,  and  a  very  dark-blue 
band  crosses  the  upper  part  of  the  chest.  The  under  parts  are  white, 
and  the  beak,  legs,  and  toes  black.  The  female  is  distinguished  by 
the  smaller  chestnut  on  tho  forehead,  the  lighter  tint  of  the  feathers, 
and  the  narrowness  of  the  dark  band  across  the  chest. 

Many  examples  of  white  Swallows  are  on  record,  and  specimens  may 
be  seen  in  almost  every  collection  of  British  birds. 

Among  the  most  ingenious  of  bird  architects,  the  Fairy  Martin 
holds  a  very  high  place,  in  virtue  of  the  singular  nest  which  it  con- 
structs. 

The  nest  of  the  Fairy  Martin  has  a  very  close  resemblance  to  a  com- 
mon oil-flask,  and  reminds  the  observer  of  the  flask-shaped  nests  which 
are  constructed  by  the  pensile  oriole  and  similar  birds,  although  made 
of  harder  materials.  The  Fairy  Martin  builds  its  curious  house  of 
mud  and  clay,  which  it  kneads  thoroughly  in  its  beak  before  bringing 
it  to  the  spot  where  it  will  be  required.  Six  or  seven  birds  work  am- 
icably at  each  nest,  one  remaining  in  the  interior  and  enacting  the  part 
of  chief  architect,  while  others  act  as  hodsmen  and  bring  material  as 
fast  as  it  is  required.  Except  upon  wet  days  this  bird  works  only  in  the 
evening  and  early  morning,  as  the  heat  of  the  midday  seems  to  dry  the 
mud  so  rapidly  that  it  cannot  be  rightly  kneaded  together.  The 
mouths,  or  "  spouts,"  of  these  nests  vary  from  eight  to  ten  inches  in 
length,  and  point  indifferently  in  all  directions.  The  diameter  of  the 
widest  portion  of  the  nest  is  very  variable,  and  ranges  between  four 
and  seven  inches. 

The  exterior  of  the  nest  is  as  rough  as  that  of  the  nest  of  the 
common  swallow  of  England,  but  the  interior  is  comparatively  smooth, 


THE  SAND  MARTIN 


323 


and  is  lined  with  feathers  and  fine  grass.  The  eggs  are  generally  four 
or  five  in  number,  and  the  bird  rears  two  broods  in  the  course  of  the 
year. 

The  pretty  little  Sand  Martin  is,  in  spite  of  its  sober  plumage  and 
diminutive  form,  a  very  interesting  bird,  and  one  which  adds  much  to 
the  liveliness  of  any  spot  where  it  may  take  up  its  abode. 

In  size  it  is  less  than  any  other  of  the  British  Hirundinidse,  being 
less  than  five  inches  in  total  length.  The  color  of  this  bird  is  very 
simple,  the  general  tint  of  the  entire  upper  surface  of  the  head  and 
body  being  a  soft  brown,  relieved  from  too  great  uniformity  by  the  sooty 
black  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail.  The  under  surface  is  pure 
white,  with  the  exception  of  a  band  of  brown  across  the  upper  part  of 


The  Sand  Martin  (Cotile  riparia). 

the  chest.  The  young  bird  possesses  a  lighter  plumage  than  the  adult, 
owing  to  the  yellowish  white  tips  of  the  back,  tertiaries,  and  upper 
coverts.     The  beak  is  dark  brown,  and  the  eyes  hazel. 

Although  its  little  beak  and  slender  claws  would  seem  at  first  sight 
to  be  utterly  inadequate  for  the  performance  of  miner's  work,  the  Sand 
Martin  is  in  its  way  as  good  a  tunnel-driver  as  the  mole  or  the  rat,  and 
can  manage  to  dig  a  burrow  of  considerable  depth.  The  soil  which  it 
most  loves  is  light  sandstone,  because  the  labor  which  is  expended  in  the 
tunnelling  is  very  little  more  than  that  which  would  be  required  for 
softer  soils,  and  the  sides  of  its  burrow  are  sufficiently  firm  to  escape 
the  likelihood  of  breaking  down. 

The  depth  of  the  burrow  is  extremely  variable,  some  tunnels  being 


324  THE  HOUSE  MARTIN. 

only  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  deep,  while  others  run  to  a  depth  of 
nearly  five  feet.  During  some  five  years'  experience  and  constant 
watching  of  these  birds  in  Derbyshire,  I  generally  found  that  the  hand 
could  reach  to  the  end  of  the  burrows  and  remove  the  eggs,  provided 
that  the  birds  had  not  been  forced  to  change  the  direction  of  the  tunnel 
by  the  intervention  of  a  stone  or  a  piece  of  rock  too  hard  for  their  bills 
to  penetrate. 

As  is  o-enerally  the  case  with  burrowing  birds,  the  Sand  Martin  takes 
very  little  trouble  about  the  construction  of  its  nest,  but  contents  itself 
with  laying  down  a  small  handful  of  various  soft  substances,  such  as 
moss,  hay,  and  feathers.  The  eggs  are  very  small  and  fragile,  and  are 
not  easily  removed  from  the  burrow  without  being  fractured.  Their 
color,  when  freshly  laid,  is  a  delicate  semi-transparent  pink,  which 
darkens  to  a  dull  opaque  gray  when  incubation  has  proceeded  to  some 
extent,  and  changes  to  a  beautiful  white  when  the  contents  are  removed 
from  the  shell.     Their  number  is  from  four  to  six. 

The  food  of  this  bird  is  composed  of  insects,  and,  in  spite  of  the 
small  dimensions  of  the  little  creature,  it  will  pursue,  capture,  and  eat 
insects  of  considerable  dimensions  and  strength  of  wing,  such  as  wasps 
and  dragon-flies.  Gnats  and  similar  insects,  however,  form  the  staple 
of  its  diet. 

This  bird  generally  makes  its  appearance  in  England  about  the  begin- 
ning of  April,  and  has  even  been  noticed  before  the  end  of  March, 
so  that  its  arrival  is  earlier  than  that  of  the  swallow  or  martin.  It 
departs  about  the  beginning  of  September,  and  like  other  of  the  British 
Hirundinidse,  makes  its  way  to  Africa,  where  it  remains  until  the 
succeeding  year. 

Resembling  the  common  swallow  in  habits  and  general  appearance, 
the  House  Martin  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  that  bird  by  the 
large  white  patch  upon  the  upper  tail-coverts,  a  peculiarity  which  is 
even  more  notable  when  the  bird  is  engaged  in  flight  than  when  it  is 
seated  on  the  ground  or  clinging  to  its  nest.  In  the  dusk  of  evening 
the  Martins  may  often  be  seen  flying  about  at  so  late  an  hour  that  their 
bodies  are  almost  invisible  in  the  dim  and  fading  twilight,  and  their 
presence  is  only  indicated  by  the  white  patches  upon  their  backs,  which 
reflect  every  fading  ray  and  bear  a  singular  resemblance  to  white  moths 
or  butterflies  darting  through  the  air. 

This  beautiful  little  bird  is  found  in  all  parts  of  England,  and  is 
equally  fiimiliar  with  the  swallow  and  sand  martin.  It  places  its  clay- 
l)uilt  nest  principally  under  the  shelter  afforded  by  human  habitations, 
and  becomes  so  trustful  and  fearless  that  it  will  often  fix  its  nest  close 
to  a  window,  and  will  rear  its  young  without  being  dismayed  at  the  near 
j)resence  of  human  beings. 

The  nests  of  this  species  are  extremely  variable  in  shape  and  size,  no 


THE  HOUSE  MAKTIN. 


325 


two  being  precisely  similar  in  both  respects.  Generally  the  edifice  is 
cup-shaped,  with  the  rim  closely  pressed  against  the  eaves  of  some 
friendly  house,  and  having  a  small  semicircular  aperture  cut  out  of  the 
edge  in  order  to  permit  the  ingress  and  egress  of  the  birds.  Sometimes, 
however,  the  nest  is  supported  on  a  kind  of  solid  pedestal,  composed  of 
mud,  and  often  containing  nearly  as  much  material  as  would  have 
made  an  ordinary  nest. 
These  pedestals  are  gener- 
ally constructed  in  spots 
where  the  Martin  finds  that 
her  nest  does  not  receive 
adequate  support  from  the 
wall. 

There  are  generally  sev- 
eral broods  in  the  course 
of  the  year,  two  being  the 
usual  number,  but  three,  or 
even  four,  being  sometimes 
noticed.  In  such  cases,  how- 
ever, the  young  birds  seldom 
reach  maturity,  for  they  are 
hatched  at  such  a  late  period 
of  the  year  that  the  parents 
are  unable  to  withstand  the 
instinct  which  leads  them  to 
migrate,  and  in  obeying  the 
promptings  of  this  principle 

leave  their  unfortunate  fam-  ^  ,  ,  -r. 

•1       ,  -1         •        11        £■   The  Purple  Martin,  Male  and  Female. 

ily   to   perish    miserably   oi  ' 

hunger.  The  parents  do  not  seem  to  grieve  over  their  dead  children, 
and  when  they  return  to  the  nest  in  the  succeeding  season,  they  uncon- 
cernedly pull  the  dry  and  shrivelled  bodies  out  of  the  nest,  and  rear- 
range it  in  readiness  for  the  next  brood. 

The  general  coloring  of  this  bird  is  composed  of  rich  blue-black  and 
white,  arranged  in  bold  masses,  so  as  to  present  a  fine  contrast  of  two 
very  opposite  tints.  The  head  and  upper  portions  of  the  body  are  of  a 
very  deep  glossy  blue,  with  the  exception  of  the  quill  feathers  of  the 
wings  and  tail,  which  are  sooty  black,  and  the  upper  tail-coverts,  which 
are  snowy  white.  The  chin,  breast,  and  abdomen  are  of  the  same  pure 
white  as  the  upper  tail-coverts,  except  in  the  young  birds,  which  are 
grayish  white  beneath.  The  female  bird  is  rather  gray  on  the  under 
portions  of  the  body.     A  number  of  tiny  white  feathers  are  spread  over 


the  legs  and  toes,  and  the  beak  is  black  and  the  eyes  brown, 
of  the  Martin  is  rather  more  than  five  inches. 


The 


total 


length 

28 


326 


THE  GARRULOUS  ROLLER. 


ROLLERS. 

The  Rollers  evidently  form  one  of  the  connecting-links  between  the 
swallows  and  the  bee-eaters,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  shape  of  their  feet, 
which  have  the  two  hinder  toes  partially  joined  together,  while  those 
of  the  bee-eaters  are  wholly  connected,  or,  as  it  were,  soldered  to- 
gether. The  Rollers,  as  is  evident  from  their  long  pointed  wings,  stiif 
tail,  and  comparatively  feeble  legs  and  feet,  are  to  a  great  extent  feed- 
ers on  the  wing,  although  they  do  not  depend  wholly  on  their  powers 
of  flight  for  subsistence,  but  take  many  insects,  worms,  and  grubs  from 
the  ground. 

Although  tolerably  common  on  several  parts  of  the  Continent,  the 
Garrulous  Roller  is  at  the  present  time  a  very  rare  visitant  to  this 

country.  There  seems,  how- 
ever, to  be  reason  to  believe 
that  in  former  days,  when 
England  was  less  cultivated 
and  more  covered  with  path- 
less woods,  the  Roller  was 
frequently  seen  in  the  an- 
cient forests,  and  that  it 
probably  built  its  nest  in 
the  hollows  of  trees,  as  it 
does  in  the  German  forests 
at  the  present  day. 

Africa    is    the   legitimate 
The  Garrulous  Roller  {Coracms  garmla).  home  of  the  Roller,  which 

passes  from  that  land  in  the 
early  spring,  and  makes  its  way  to  Europe  via  Malta  and  the  Mediter- 
ranean islands,  which  afford  it  resting-places  during  its  long  journey. 

Accordingly,  in  those  islands  the  Rollers  are  found  in  great  plenty, 
and,  as  they  are  considered  a  great  delicacy  when  fat  and  in  good  con- 
dition, they  are  killed  in  considerable  numbers,  and  exposed  for  sale 
like  pigeons,  whose  flesh  they  are  said  greatly  to  resemble.  Even  in 
its  flight  it  possesses  something  of  the  pigeon  character,  having  often 
been  observed  while  flying  at  a  considerable  elevation  to  "  tumble  " 
after  the  manner  of  the  well-known  tumbler  pigeons.  It  is  rather 
curious  that  throughout  Asia  Minor  the  Rollers  and  magpies  were 
always  found  in  close  proximity  to  each  other. 

The  food  of  the  Roller  is  almost  wholly  of  an  insect  nature,  but  is 
diversified  with  a  few  berries  and  other  vegetable  productions.  It  has 
even  been  known  to  become  carnivorous  in  its  habits,  for,  according  to 
reraminck,  it  sometimes  feeds  on  the  smaller  mammalia. 


THE  GREEN  TODY  AND  THE  TROGONS.        327 

Worms,  slugs,  millipedes,  and  similar  creatures  also  fall  victims  to 
its  voracity. 

In  the  coloring  of  its  plumage  it  is  truly  a  gorgeous  bird.  The  gen- 
eral tint  of  the  head,  neck,  breast,  and  abdomen  is  that  peculiar  green- 
blue  termed  "  verditer  "  by  artists,  changing  into  pale  green  in  certain 
lights,  and  deepening  into  rich  azure  upon  the  shoulders.  The  back  is 
a  warm  chestnut-brown,  changing  to  purple  upon  the  upper  tail-coverts. 
The  tail  is  of  the  same  verditer  hue  as  the  head  and  neck,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  exterior  feathers,  which  are  furnished  with  black  tips. 
The  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  are  of  a  dark  blue-black,  becoming 
lighter  at  their  edges,  and  the  legs  are  covered  with  chestnut-brown 
feathers  like  those  of  the  back.  These  gorgeous  hues  are  not  attained 
until  the  bird  has  passed  through  the  moult  of  its  second  year.  Both 
male  and  female  are  nearly  equally  decorated,  the  latter  being  slightly 
less  brilliant  than  her  mate.  It  is  not  a  very  large  bird,  scarcely  ex- 
ceeding a  foot  in  total  length. 

The  curious  little  birds  which  are  termed  Todies  bear  a  considerable 
resemblance  to  the  kingfishers,  from  which  they  may  easily  be  distin- 
guished by  the  flattened  bill. 

The  Todies  are  natives  of  tropical  America,  and  are  very  conspicuous 
among  the  brilliant-plumaged  and  strangely-shaped  birds  of  that  part 
of  the  world. 

The  Green  Tody  is  a  very  small  bird,  being  hardly  larger  than  the 
common  wren  of  England,  but  yet  very  conspicuous  on  account  of  the 
brilliant  hues  with  which  its  plumage  is  decorated.  The  whole  of  the 
upper  surface  is  a  light  green;  the  flanks  are  rose-colored,  deepening 
into  scarlet  upon  the  throat  and  fading  into  a  pale  yellow  upon  the 
abdomen  and  under  the  tail-coverts. 


TROGONS. 

For  our  systematic  knowledge  of  the  magnificent  tribe  of  the  Tro- 
GONS  we  are  now  almost  wholly  indebted  to  Mr.  Gould,  who  by  the 
most  persevering  labor  and  the  most  careful  investigations  has  reduced 
to  order  this  most  perplexing  group  of  birds,  and  brought  into  one  vol- 
ume a  mass  of  information  that  is  rarely  found  in  similar  compass. 
There  are  few  groups  of  birds  which  are  more  attractive  to  the  eye 
than  the  Trogons,  with  all  their  glowing  hues  of  carmine,  orange, 
green,  and  gold ;  and  few  there  are  which  presented  greater  diffi- 
culties to  the  ornithologist  until  their  various  characteristics  were 
thoroughly  sifted  and  compared  together.  The  two  sexes  are  so  dif- 
ferent from  each  other,  both  in  the  color  and  shape  of  the  feathers, 
that  they  would  hardly  be  recognizable  as  belonging  to  a  single  species, 
and  even  the  young  bird  is  very  differently  colored  from  his  older  relatives. 


328 


THE  RESPLENDENT  TROGON. 


These  beautiful  birds  are  found  in  the  Old  and  the  New  Worlds, 
those  which  inhabit  the  latter  locality  being  easily  distinguishable  by 
their  deeply-barred  tails.  Those  of  the  Old  World  are  generally  found 
in  Ceylon,  Sumatra,  Java,  and  Borneo,  while  only  a  single  species,  the 
Nurina  Trogon,  is  as  yet  known  to  inhabit  Africa. 

The  Trogons  are  mostly  silent  birds,  the  only  cry  used  being  that  of 
the  male  during  the  season  of  pairing.     It  is  not  a  very  agreeable 

sound,  being  of  a  sombre 
and  melancholy  cast,  and 
thought  to  resemble  the 
word  "  courou-courou." 

Several  of  the  Trogons 
are  distinguished  from 
their  relatives  by  the 
length  and  downy  loose- 
ness of  many  of  the  feath- 
ers, more  especially  the 
lance-shaped  feathers  of 
the  shoulders  and  the 
elongated  upper  tail-cov- 
erts. On  account  of  this 
structure  of  the  plumage, 
they  are  gathered  into  a 
separate  genus  under  the 
appropriate  title  of  Calu- 
rus,  or  Beautiful-tailed 
Trogons. 

The  Resplendent  Trogon  ( Calurus  respkndens).  ^he  Resplendent  Tro- 
gon is  a  native  of  Central  America,  and  was  in  former  days  one  of 
the  most  honored  by  the  ancient  Mexican  monarchs,  who  assumed  the 
sole  right  of  wearing  the  long  plumes,  and  permitted  none  but  the 
members  of  the  royal  family  to  decorate  themselves  with  the  flowing 
feathers  of  this  beautiful  bird. 

This  species  is  fond  of  inhabiting  the  densest  forests  of  Southern 
Mexico,  and  generally  haunts  the  topmost  branches  of  the  loftiest  trees, 
where  it  clings  to  the  boughs  like  a  parrot,  and  traverses  their  ramifi- 
cations with  much  address. 

The  color  of  the  adult  male  bird  is  generally  of  a  rich  golden  green 
on  the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  including  the  graceful  rounded  crest, 
the  head,  neck,  throat,  chest,  and  long  lancet-shaped  plumes  of  the 
shoulders.  The  breast  and  under  parts  are  brilliant  scarlet,  the  cen- 
tral feathers  of  the  tail  are  black,  and  the  exterior  white,  with  black 
bars.  The  wonderful  plumes  which  hang  over  the  tail  are  generally 
about  three  feet  in  length,  and  in  particularly  fine  specimens  have 


THE  LAUGHING  JACKASS.  329 

been  known  to  exceed  that  measurement  by  four  inches,  so  that  the 
entire  length  of  the  bird  may  be  reckoned  at  four  feet.  The  bill  is 
light  yellow. 

As  is  often  the  case  with  birds,  where  the  male  is  remarkable  for  the 
beauty  of  his  plumage,  the  female  is  altogethet-  an  ordinary  and  com- 
paratively insignificant  bird. 

KINGFISHEB^. 

The  Kingfishers  form  a  tolerably  well-marked  group  of  birds,  all 
of  which  are  remarkable  for  their  long  bills  and  the  comparative  short- 
ness of  their  bodies,  which  give  them  a  peculiar  bearing  that  is  not  to 
be  mistaken. 

The  bills  of  these  birds  are  all  long  and  sharp,  and  in  most  cases  are 
straight.  Their  front  toes  are  always  joined  together  more  or  less,  and 
the  number  of  the  toes  is  very  variable  in  form  and  arrangement,  some 
species  possessing  them  in  pairs,  like  those  of  the  parrots,  others  hav- 
ing them  arranged  three  in  front  and  one  behind,  as  is  usually  the  case 
with  birds,  while  a  few  species  have  only  three  toes  altogether,  two  in 
front  and  oile  behind.  The  wings  are  rounded.  As  may  be  gathered 
from  their  popular  name,  they  feed  mostly  upon  fish,  which  they  cap- 
ture by  pouncing  upon  the  finny  prey. 

Our  first  example  of  the  Kingfisher  is  the  Laughing  Jackass,  or 
Giant  Kingfisher,  its  former  title  being  derived  from  the  strange 
character  of  its  cry. 

This  bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  Australia,  being  found  chiefly  in  the 
south-eastern  district  of  that  country  and  in  New  South  Wales.  In 
Van  Diemen's  Land  Mr.  Gould  believes  that  it  does  not  exist.  In  no 
place  is  it  found  in  any  great  numbers ;  for,  although  it  is  sufiiciently 
common,  it  is  but  thinly  dispersed  over  the  country.  It  is  a  rather 
large  bird,  being  eighteen  inches  in  total  length,  and  is  powerful  in 
proportion,  being  able  to  wage  successful  war  against  creatures  of  con- 
siderable size. 

Although  one  of  the  true  Kingfishers,  it  so  far  departs  from  the 
habits  of  the  family  as  to  be  comparatively  careless  about  catching 
fish,  and  often  resides  in  the  vast  arid  plains  where  it  can  find  no  streams 
sufficiently  large  to  harbor  fish  in  their  waters.  Crabs  of  various  kinds 
are  a  favorite  food  with  this  bird,  which  also  eats  insects,  small  mam- 
malia, and  reptiles.  Mr.  Gould  mentions  an  instance  where  he  shot 
one  of  these  birds  for  the  sake  of  possessing  a  rare  and  valuable  spe- 
cies of  rat  which  it  was  carrying  off*  in  its  bill.  It  is  also  known  to 
eat  snakes,  catching  them  with  great  dexterity  by  the  tail,  and  crush- 
ing their  heads  with  its  powerful  beak.  Sometimes  it  is  known  to 
pounce  upon  fish,  but  it  usually  adheres  to  the  above-mentioned  diet. 

*   28* 


330 


THE  LAUGHING  JACKASS. 


The  cry  of  this  bird  is  a  singular,  dissonant,  abrupt  laugh,  even  more 
startling  than  that  of  the  hysena,  and  raising  strange  panics  in  the 
heart  of  the  novice  who  first  hears  it  while  bivouacking  in  the  "  bush." 
Being  of  a  mightily  inquisitive  nature,  the  Laughing  Jackass  seems  to 
find  great  attraction  in  the  glare  of  a  fire,  and  in  the  evening  is  apt  to 
glide  silently  through  the  branches  toward  the  blaze,  and,  perching 
upon  a  neigliboriug  bough,  to  pour  forth  its  loud,  yelling  cry.     The 

"  old  hands  "  are  in  no 
wise  disconcerted  at  the 
sudden  disturbance,  but 
shoot  the  intruder  on 
the  spot,  and  in  a  very 
few  minutes  convert  him 
into  a  savory  broil  over 
the  fire  which  he  had 
come  to  inspect. 

At  the  rising  and  the 
setting  of  the  sun  the 
Laughing  Jackass  be- 
comes very  lively,  and 
is  the  first  to  welcome 
The  Laughing  Jackass  {Dacelo  gigas).  ^he  approach   of   dawE 

and  to  chant  its  strange  exulting  paeans  at  the  return  of  darkness, 
From  this  peculiarity  it  has  been  called  the  Settler's  Clock.  In  allusion 
to  the  cry  of  this  bird,  which  has  been  compared  by  Sturt  to  the  yelling 
chorus  of  unquiet  demons,  the  natives  call  it  by  the  name  Gogobera. 

The  home  of  the  Laughing  Jackass  is  usually  made  in  the  hole  of  a 
gum  tree  (Eucalyptus),  where  it  makes  no  sort  of  nest,  but  simply  lays 
its  eggs  upon  the  soft  decaying  wood.  The  eggs  are  pearly  white,  and  the 
bird  keeps  a  vigilant  watch  over  the  burrow  which  holds  its  treasures, 
fiercely  combating  any  creature  that  may  approach  the  entrance,  and  aim- 
ing the  most  desperate  blows  with  its  long,  pointed,  and  powerful  beak. 

It  is  a  really  handsome  bird,  and,  although  not  possessing  such  an 
array  of  brilliant  plumage  as  falls  to  the  lot  of  many  Kingfishers,  is  yet 
very  richly  colored.  The  bird  is  decorated  with  a  dark  brown  crest, 
and  the  general  tint  of  the  back  and  upper  surface  is  olive  brown.  The 
wings  are  brown-black,  a  few  of  the  feathers  being  slightly  tipped  with 
verditer,  and  the  breast  and  under  portions  are  white,  washed  with  pale 
brown,  which  forms  a  series  of  faint  bars  across  the  breast.  The  tail  is 
rather  long,  and  rounded  at  the  extremity,  and  is  of  a  rich  chestnut 
color,  banded  with  deep  black  and  tipped  with  white. 

The  common  Kingfisher  is  by  fi\r  the  most  gorgeously-decorated 
of  all  our  indigenous  birds,  and  can  bear  comparison  with  many  of  the 
gayly-decorated  inhabitants  of  tropical  climates. 


THE  KINGFISHER.  331 

It  is  a  sufficiently  common  bird,  although  distributed  very  thinly 
over  the  whole  country,  and  considering  the  great  number  of  eggs 
which  it  lays,  and  the  large  proportion  of  young  which  it  rears,  is 
probably  more  plentiful  than  is  generally  supposed  to  be  the  case. 
The  straight,  glancing  flight  of  the  Kingfisher,  as  it  shoots  along  the 
river-bank,  its  azure  back  gleaming  in  the  sunlight  with  meteoric 
splendor,  is  a  sight  familiar  to  all  those  who  have  been  accustomed 
to  wander  by  the  sides  of  rivers,  whether  for  the  purpose  of  angling 
or  merely  to  study  the  beauties  of  nature.  So  swift  is  the  flight  of  this 
bird,  and  with  such  wonderful  rapidity  does  it  move  its  short  wings,  that 
its  shape  is  hardly  perceptible  as  it  passes  through  the  air,  and  it  leaves 
upon  the  eye  of  the  observer  the  impression  of  a  blue  streak  of  light. 

The  food  of  this  bird  consists  chiefly,  though  not  exclusively,  of  fish, 
which  it  takes,  kills,  and  eats  in  the  following  manner : 

Seated  upon  a  convenient  bough  or  rail  that  overhangs  a  stream 
where  the  smaller  fish  love  to  pass,  the  Kingfisher  waits  very  patiently 
until  he  sees  an  unsuspecting  minnow  or  stickleback  pass  below  his 
perch,  and  then  with  a  rapid  movement  drops  into  the  water  like  a 
stone  and  secures  his  prey.  Should  it  be  a  small  fish,  he  swallows  it  at 
once  ;  but  if  it  should  be  of  rather  large  dimensions,  he  carries  it  to  a 
stone  or  stump,  beats  it  two  or  three  times  against  the  hard  substance, 
and  then  swallows  it  without  any  trouble. 

With  the  fish  it  generally  feeds  its  young,  being  able  to  disgorge  at 
will  the  semi-digested  food  which  it  has  swallowed,  after  the  manner 
of  most  birds  of  prey.  Fish,  however,  do  not  constitute  its  sole  nourish- 
ment, as  it  is  known  to  eat  various  insects,  such  as  dragon-flies  and 
water-beetles,  and  will  often  in  cold  weather  pay  a  visit  to  the  seashore 
for  the  purpose  of  feeding  upon  the  little  crabs,  shrimps,  and  sandhop- 
pers  that  are  found  upon  the  edge  of  the  tide. 

The  nest  of  the  Kingfisher  is  always  made  in  some  convenient  bank, 
at  the  extremity  of  a  hole  w-hich  has  previously  been  occupied  and  de- 
serted by  the  water-rat  or  other  mining  quadrupeds,  and  been  enlarged 
and  adapted  for  use  by  the  Kingfisher.  Now  and  then  the  nest  of  this 
bird  has  been  found  built  in  the  deserted  hole  of  a  rabbit-warren.  It 
is  always  found  that  the  tunnel  slopes  gently  upward,  and  that  the 
bird  has  shaped  the  extremity  into  a  globular  form  in  order  to  contain 
the  parent  bird,  the  nest,  and  eggs.  Sometimes  the  nest  is  placed 
in  the  natural  crevices  formed  by  the  roots  of  trees  growing  on  the 
water's  edge.  In  many  cases  it  is  easily  detected,  for  the  birds  are 
very  careless  about  the  concealment  of  their  nest  even  before  the  eggs 
are  hatched ;  and  after  the  young  have  made  their  appearance  in  the 
world  they  are  so  clamorous  for  food  and  so  insatiable  in  their  appetite 
that  their  noisy  voices  can  be  heard  for  some  distance,  and  indicate  with 
great  precision  the  direction  of  their  home. 


332 


THE  KINGFISHER 


Some  writers  say  that  the  interior  of  the  burrow  is  kept  so  scrupu- 
lously clean  that  it  is  free  from  all  evil  scents.  My  own  experience, 
however,  contradicts  this  assertion,  for  after  introducing  the  hand  into 
a  Kingfisher's  nest  I  have  always  found  it  imbued  with  so  offensive  an 
odor  that  I  was  fain  to  wash  it  repeatedly  in  the  nearest  stream.  As 
the  Kingfisher  is  so  piscatorial  in  its  habits,  it  would  naturally  be  im- 
agined that  the  nest  would  be  placed 
in  close  connection  with  the  stream 
from  which  the  parent  birds  obtained 
their  daily  food.  I  have,  however, 
several  times  seen  a  Kingfisher's  nest, 
and  obtained  the  eggs,  in  spots  that 
were  not  within  half  a  mile  of  a  fish- 
inhabited  stream.  The  bird  is  greatly 
attached  to  the  burrow  in  which  it  has 
once  made  its  nest,  and  will  make  use 
of  the  same  spot  year  after  year,  even 
though  the  nest  be  plundered  and  the 
eggs  stolen. 

The  eggs  are  from  six  to  eight  in 
number,  rather  globular  in  form,  and 
of  an  exquisitely  delicate  pink  in  color 
while  fresh,  changing  to  a  pearly  white 
when  the  contents  are  removed.  As 
soon  as  the  young  are  able  to  exert 
themselves,  they  perch  on  a  neighbor- 
ing twig  or  other  convenient  resting-place,  and  squall  incessantly  for 
food.  In  a  very  short  time  they  assume  their  yearling  plumage, 
which  is  very  nearly  the  same  as  that  of  the  adult  bird,  and  soon 
learn  to  fish  on  their  own  account. 

The  nest  of  the  Kingfisher  has  long  been  known  to  consist  of  the 
bones,  scales,  and  other  indigestible  portions  of  the  food,  which  are 
ejected  from  the  mouth  by  "castings,"  like  those  of  the  hawk  or 
owl;  but  until  Mr.  Gould  recently  procured  a  perfect  Kingfisher's 
nest,  its  shape  and  the  manner  of  construction  were  entirely  unknown. 
His  account  of  its  discovery,  and  the  ingenious  manner  in  which 
it  was  procured,  is  so  interesting  tliat  it  must  be  given  in  his  own 
words : 

"Ornithologists  are  divided  in  opinion  as  to  whether  the  fish-bones 
found  in  the  cavity  in  which  the  Kingfisher  deposits  its  eggs  are  to  be 
considered  in  the  light  of  a  nest  or  as  merely  the  castings  from  the 
bird  during  the  period  of  incubation.  Some  are  disposed  to  consider 
these  bones  as  entirely  the  castings  and  faeces  of  the  young  brood  of 
the  year  before  they  quit  the  nest,  and  that,  the  same  hole  being  fre- 


The  Belted  Kingfisher 

{A Iced 0  alcyon). 


COMPOSITION  OF  ITS  NEST.  333 

quented  for  a  succession  of  years,  a  great  mass  is  at  length  formed ; 
while  others  believe  that  they  are  deposited  by  the  parents  as  a  plat- 
form for  the  eggs,  constituting,  in  fact,  a  nest ;  in  which  latter  view  I 
fully  concur,  and  the  following  are  my  reasons  for  so  doing : 

"Oil  the  18th  of  the  past  month  of  April,  during  one  of  my  fishing 
excursions  on  the  Thames,  I  saw  a  hole  in  a  precipitous  bank,  which 
I  felt  sure  was  a  nesting-place  of  the  Kingfisher,  and  on  passing  a 
spare  top  of  my  fly-rod  to  the  extremity  of  the  hole,  a  distance  of 
nearly  three  feet,  I  brought  out  some  freshly-cast  bones  of  fish,  con- 
vincing me  that  I  was  right  in  my  surmise.  On  a  subsequent  day,  the 
9th  of  May,  I  again  visited  the  spot  with  a  spade,  and  after  moving 
nearly  two  feet  square  of  the  turf  dug  down  to  the  nest  without  dis- 
turbing the  entrance-hole  or  the  passage  which  led  to  it.  Here  I  found 
four  eggs  placed  on  the  usual  layers  of  fish-bones ;  all  of  these  I  re- 
moved with  care,  and  then  filled  up  the  hole,  beating  the  earth  down 
as  hard  as  the  bank  itself,  and  replacing  the  sod  on  the  top  in  order  that 
barge-horses  passing  to  and  fro  might  not  put  a  foot  in  the  hole.  A 
fortnight  afterward  the  bird  was  seen  to  leave  the  hole  again,  and  my 
suspicion  was  awakened  that  she  had  taken  to  her  old  breeding-quarters 
a  second  time. 

"The  first  opportunity  I  had  of  again  visiting  this  place,  which  was 
exactly  twenty-one  days  from  the  date  of  my  former  exploration  and 
taking  the  eggs,  I  again  passed  the  top  of  my  fly-rod  up  the  hole,  and 
found  not  only  that  the  hole  was  of  the  former  length,  but  that  the 
female  was  within.  I  then  took  a  large  mass  of  cotton-wool  from  my 
collecting-box  and  stuflfed  it  to  the  extremity  of  the  hole,  in  order  to 
preserve  the  eggs  and  nest  from  damage  during  my  again  laying  it  open 
from  above.  On  removing  the  sod  and  digging  down  as  before,  I  came 
upon  the  cotton-wool,  and  beneath  it  a  well-formed  nest  of  fish-bones, 
the  size  of  a  small  saucer,  the  walls  of  which  were  fully  half  an  inch 
thick,  together  with  eight  beautiful  eggs  and  the  old  female  herself. 
This  nest  and  eggs  I  removed  with  the  greatest  care,  and  I  now  have 
the  pleasure  of  exhibiting  it  to  the  society  before  its  transmission  to  the 
British  Museum,  the  proper  resting-place  of  so  interesting  a  bird's  nest. 
This  mass  of  bones,  then,  weighing  seven  hundred  grains,  had  been  cast 
up  and  deposited  by  the  bird,  or  the  bird  and  its  mate,  besides  the  un- 
usual number  of  eight  eggs,  in  the  short  space  of  twenty-one  days. 

"To  gain  anything  like  an  approximate  idea  of  the  number  of  fish 
that  had  been  taken  to  form  this  mass,  the  skeleton  of  a  minnow,  their 
usual  food,  must  be  carefully  made  and  weighed,  and  this  I  may  prob- 
ably do  upon  some  future  occasion.  I  think  we  may  now  conclude, 
from  what  I  have  adduced,  that  the  bird  purposely  deposits  these  bones 
as  a  nest ;  and  nothing  can  be  better  adapted,  as  a  platform,  to  defenrl 
the  eggs  from  the  damp  earth." 


334  THE   BEE-EATER. 

The  voice  of  the  Kingfisher  is  a  peculiarly  shrill  and  piping  cry 
that  can  be  heard  at  some  distance,  and  is  not  easily  mistaken  for  any 
other  sound. 

The  color  of  this  bird  is  very  gorgeous,  and  rather  complicated  in 
its  arrano-ement.  The  top  of  the  head  and  back  of  the  neck  are  dark 
green,  flecked  with  many  spots  of  verditer  blue  upon  the  tips  of  the 
feathers.  The  upper  part  of  the  back  is  also  dark  green,  and  the  low- 
er part  is  light  violet  or  blue,  gleaming  vividly  under  a  strong  light, 
and  being  very  conspicuous  as  the  bird  is  on  the  wing.  The  tail  is 
deep  indigo,  and  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wing  are  dark  blackish 
green,  lightened  by  a  brighter  hue  of  green  on  the  outer  webs,  and  set 
off  by  the  verditer  blue  spots  of  the  tertiaries.  A  white  patch  or  streak 
passes  from  the  eye  to  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  a  dark  green  streak 
is  drawn  immediately  under  the  white  patch.  The  throat  and  chin 
are  yellowish  white,  and  the  whole  of  the  under  surfiice  is  chestnut. 
The  eyes  are  crimson,  and  the  bill  is  black,  with  the  exception  of  the 
orange-tinted  base  of  the  lower  mandible.  The  total  lejigth  of  the 
bird  is  about  seven  inches. 


BEE-EATERS. 

The  Bee-eaters  may  at  once  be  distinguished  by  the  shape  of  the 
bill,  which  is  curved,  and  by  the  formation  of  the  wings,  which  are 
long  and  pointed,  and  give  to  their  owners  a  wonderful  command  of 
the  air  while  engaged  in  chasing  their  winged  prey. 

The  common  Bee-eater  of  Europe  is  found  very  frequently  in 
many  parts  of  the  Continent,  and  has  several  times  been  taken  in 
England.  It  is,  however,  a  scarce  bird  in  Great  Britain,  and  is  of 
sufficient  rarity  to  excite  some  curiosity  whenever  it  is  found  within  the 
confines  of  our  shores. 

The  food  of  the  Bee-eater  consists  wholly  of  insects,  hive-bees  and 
others  of  the  hyraenopterous  order  being  the  favorite  article  of  diet. 
In  chasing  these  insects,  which  are  for  the  most  part  very  active  of 
flight,  the  Bee-eater  displays  very  great  command  of  wing,  and  while 
urging  its  pursuit  can  twist  and  turn  in  the  air  with  as  much  ease  and 
skill  as  is  exhibited  by  the  swallow  or  the  roller. 

To  the  apiarian  who  resides  in  the  same  country  with  the  Bee-eater 
the  bird  is  a  terrible  foe,  as  it  has  an  insatiable  appetite  for  the  honey- 
making  insects,  and  haunts  every  spot  where  it  is  likely  to  meet  them. 
The  hives  are  constantly  visited  by  the  Bee-eaters,  who  are  ingenious 
enough  to  resort  to  the  turpentine  pines  for  the  sake  of  catching  the 
bees  that  come  to  carry  away  the  exudations  for  the  purpose  of  convert- 
ing them  into  "  propolis,"  or  that  substance  with  which  they  harden  the 
edges  of  their  cells,  caulk  the  crevices  of  the  hives,  and  perform  many 


SLENDER-BILLED  BIRDS.  335 

other  useful  tasks.  It  does  not,  however,  confine  itself  to  the  hymen- 
opterous  insects,  but  is  fond  of  beetles,  cicadse,  grasshoppers,  and  similar 
creatures. 

The  nest  of  the  Bee-eater  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  kingfisher,  being 
placed  at  the  extremity  of  a  burrow  made  in  some  convenient  bank. 
The  burrow  is  excavated  by  the  bird  itself,  and  it  often  happens  that 
the  Bee-eaters  are  as  gregarious  in  their  nesting  as  in  their  flight, 
honeycombing  the  clay  banks  in  a  manner  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
sand  martin.  The  burrows  do  not  run  to  any  great  depth,  seldom 
exceeding  six  or  eight  inches  in  length.  The  nest  is  composed  of  moss, 
and  contains  about  five  or  six  beautifully  white  and  pearly  eggs. 

The  colors  of  the  adult  male  bird  are  extremely  varied  and  very 
beautiful.  The  top  of  the  head  is  rich  chestnut-brown,  extending  to 
the  neck,  back,  and  wing-coverts.  Over  the  rump  the  chestnut  changes 
to  light  reddish  yellow.  The  primaries  and  secondaries  of  the  wing 
are  bright  blue-green,  tipped  with  black,  and  their  shafts  painted  with 
the  same  color,  and  the  tertiaries  are  green  tliroughout  their  entire 
length.  The  upper  tail-coverts  are  of  the  same  hue  as  the  wings,  and 
the  tail  is  likewise  green,  tinted  with  a  darker  hue,  graphically  called 
by  Mr.  Yarrell  "  duck-green."  The  chin  and  throat  are  a  reddish 
yellow,  and  round  the  throat  runs  a  band  of  deep  blue-black.  The 
under  part  of  the  body  is  green  with  a  blue  tinge,  and  the  under  surface 
of  the  wings  and  tail  is  grayish  brown.  The  ear-coverts  are  black  and 
the  eye  is  light  scarlet,  which  contrasts  beautifully  with  the  chestnut, 
black,  and  yellow  of  the  head  and  neck. 

The  female  may  be  distinguished  from  the  male  by  the  paler  hue  of 
the  reddish  yellow  on  the  throat,  and  the  reddish  tinge  that  runs 
throughout  the  green  of  the  body  and  wings.  In  size  the  Bee-eater 
is  nearly  equal  to  the  English  starling. 


SLENDER-BILLED  BIRDS. 
UPUPID^  OR  HOOPOES. 

The  large  group  of  birds  which  are  termed  Tenuirostral,  or 
"slender-billed,"-always  possess  a  long  and  slender  beak,  sometimes 
curved,  as  in  the  creepers,  hoopoes,  and  many  humming-birds,  and  some- 
times straight,  as  in  the  nuthatch  and  other  humming-birds.  The  feet 
are  furnished  with  lengthened  toes,  and  the  outer  toe  is  generally 
connected  at  the  base  with  the  middle  toe. 

The  first  family  of  the  Tenuirostres  is  called  after  the  hoopoe,  and 
termed  Upupidse.  In  all  these  birds  the  bill  is  curved  throughout  its 
entire  length,  long,  slender,  and  sharply  pointed.  The  wings  are 
rounded,  showing  that  the  birds  are  not  intended  for  aerial  feats,  and 


336 


THE  HOOPOE. 


the  tail  is  rather  long.     The  legs  are  short,  and  the  claws  strong  and 
decidedly  curved. 

The  common  Hoopoe  enjoys  a  very  wide  range  of  country,  being 
found  in  Northern  Africa,  where  its  principal  home  is  generally 
stationed,  in  several  parts  of  x\sia,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  Europe. 

On  account  of  Its 
very  striking  and  re- 
markable form  it  has 
attracted  much  no- 
tice, and  has  been 
the  subject  of  innu- 
merable legends  and 
strange  tales,  nearly 
all  of  which  relate 
to  its  feathery  ci'est. 
The  Turks  call  the 
Hoopoe  Tir-  Chaous, 
or  "  Courier-Bird,"" 
because  its  feathery 
crown  bears  some 
resemblance  to  the 
plume  of  feathers 
The  Hoopoe  [  Upapa  epops).  which  the  chaous,  or 

courier,  wears  as  a 
token  of  his  office.  The  Swedes  are  rather  fearful  of  the  Hoopoe, 
and  dread  its  presence,  which  is  rare  in  their  country,  as  a  presage 
of  war,  considering  the  plume  as  analogous  to  a  helmet.  Even  in  our 
own  country  the  uneducated  rustics  think  it  an  unlucky  bird,  most 
probably  on  account  of  some  old  legend  which,  although  forgotten, 
has  not  lost  completely  its  power  of  exciting  prejudice. 

The  food  of  the  Hoopoe  is  almost  entirely  of  an  insect  nature, 
although  the  bird  will  frequently  vary  its  diet  with  tadpoles  and  other 
small  creatures.  Beetles  and  their  larvae,  caterpillars,  and  grubs  of  all 
kinds  are  favorite  food  with  the  Hoopoe,  which  displays  much  ingenuity 
in  digging  them  out  of  the  decayed  wood  in  which  they  are  often  found. 
The  ](it-nnt  (^Formica  fuliginosa),  which  greatly  haunts  the  centre  of 
decaying  trees,  is  also  eaten  by  this  bird. 

The  nest  is  made  in  hollow  trees,  and  copsists  of  dried  grass-stems, 
feathers,  and  other  soft  substances.  The  eggs  are  of  a  light  gray  color, 
and  in  number  vary  from  four  to  seven.  They  are  laid  in  May,  and 
the  young  make  their  appearance  in  June.  It  is  worthy  of  notice 
that  the  beak  of  the  young  Hoopoe  is  short  and  quite  straight,  not 
attaining  its  long  curved  form  until  the  bird  has  attained  its  full  growth. 
The  nest  of  the  Hoopoe  has  a  very  pungent  and  disgusting  odor. 


THE  COLLAEED  SUN-BIRD.  337 

Tiie  general  colors  of  the  Hoopoe  are  white,  buff,  and  black,  distrib- 
uted in  the  following  manner:  The  plumes  of  the  crest,  which  is  com- 
posed of  a  double  row  of  feathers,  are  of  a  reddish  buff,  each  feather 
being  tipped  with  black.  The  remainder  of  the  head,  neck,  and  breast 
is  purplish  buff,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  beak  purple-gray.  Three 
semicircular  black  bands  are  drawn  across  the  back,  and  the  quill 
feathers  of  the  wings  are  marked  with  broad  bands  of  black  and  white. 
The  tail  is  also  black,  with  the  exception  of  a  shai  ply-defined  white 
semicircular  band  that  runs  across  the  centre. 

The  under  portions  of  the  body  are  pale  yellowish  buff,  and  the  under 
tail-coverts  are  white.  In  their  colors  the  two  sexes  are  rather  differ- 
ent from  each  other,  the  male  being  of  a  more  ruddy  hue  than  Ins 
mate,  and  having  a  larger  crest.  The  total  length  of  the  adult 
Hoopoe  is  not  quite  thirteen  inches. 

SUN-BIRDS. 

The  beautiful  and  glittering  Sun-birds  evidently  represent  in  the 
Old  World  the  humming-birds  of  the  New.  In  their  dimensions, 
color,  general  form,  and  habits,  they  are  very  similar  to  their  bril- 
liant representatives  in  the  western  hemisphere,  although  not  quite 
so  gorgeous  in  plumage  or  so  powerful  and  enduring  of  wing.  They 
are  termed  Sun-birds  because  the  hues  with  which  their  feathers  are  so 
lavishly  embellished  gleam  out  with  peculiar  brilliancy  in  the  sunlight. 

These  exquisite  little  birds  feed  on  the  juice  of  flowers  and  the  minute 
insects  that  are  found  in  their  interior,  but  are  not  in  the  habit  of  feed- 
ing while  on  the  wing,  hovering  over  a  flower  and  sweeping  up  its  nectar 
with  the  tongue,  as  is  the  case  among  the  humming-birds. 

The  Collared  Sun-bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  many  parts  of  Africa, 
stretching  from  the  northern  portions  of  that  continent  as  far  as  the 
western  coasts.  It  is  extremely  plentiful  in  the  larger  forests  of  the 
Cape  and  the  interior,  but  there  is  very  little  information  concerning 
its  habits,  saving  that  they  resemble  those  of  its  relations.  The  nidifi- 
cation  of  this  species  differs  according  to  the  locality,  for  it  places  its 
nest  in  the  interior  of  hollow  trees  wherein  it  resides  in  the  forests,  and 
is  content  with  the  shelter  of  a  thick  bough  when  there  are  no  decaying 
trees  within  reach. 

The  male  Collared  Sun-bird  is  a  most  beautiful  little  creature,  be- 
decked with  glowing  tints  of  wonderful  intensity.  The  general  color  of 
the  upper  parts  of  the  body  and  breast  is  a  rich  golden  green,  the  upper 
surface  of  the  wings  and  tail  being  blackish  brown  with  green  reflections. 
Across  the  breast  are  drawn  several  colored  bands,  which  have  earned 
for  the  bird  its  popular  and  expressive  name,  as  all  names  should  be. 
A  narrow  band  of  bright  steel-blue  runs  across  the  upper  part  of  the 
29  W 


338  THE  JAVANESE  SUN-BIRD  AND  THE   DICTUM. 

breast,  being  rather  wide  in  the  centre  and  narrowing  rapidly  toward 
the  sides  of  the  neck.  Below  this  blue  band  runs  a  broad  belt  of  rich 
carmine,  and  immediately  below  the  carmine  is  a  third  narrow  band  of 
l)rio-ht  golden  yellow.  From  the  sides  of  the  breast  proceed  several 
.small  feathery  plumes  of  the  same  golden  hue.  The  remainder  of 
the  abdomen  is  grayish  brown,  and  the  upper  tail-coverts  are  violet- 
,purple. 

The  female  is  rather  less  in  dimensions  than  her  mate,  and  is  very 
sober  in  her  attire,  wearing  a  suit  of  uniform  olive-brown,  darker  upon 
the  wings  and  tail,  and  very  pale  behind.  The  total  length  of  this 
species  is  rather  more  than  four  and  a  half  inches. 

The  Javanese  Sun-bird  is  a  native  of  the  country  from  which  it 
derives  its  name.  It  is  a  very  pretty  little  creature,  although  its  colors 
are  not  so  resplendent  as  in  several  of  the  species.  The  upper  parts  of 
the  body  are  shining  steely-purple,  and  the  under  surface  is  olive-yellow. 
The  throat  is  chestnut,  and  a  bright  violet  streak  runs  from  the  angle 
of  the  mouth  to  the  breast. 

The  beautiful  little  Dictum,  although  very  common  throughout  the 
whole  of  Australia,  and  a  remarkably  interesting  bird,  was,  when 
Mr.  Gould  wrote  his  animated  description,  so  little  known  among 
the  colonists  that  there  was  no  popular  name  for  the  bright  little 
creature. 

This  tiny  bird  is  fond  of  inhabiting  the  extreme  summits  of  the  tall- 
est trees,  and  habitually  dwells  at  so  great  an  elevation  that  its  minute 
form  is  hardly  perceptible,  and  not  even  the  bright  scarlet  hue  of  the 
throat  and  breast  can  betray  its  position  to  the  unaccustomed  eye  of  a 
passenger  below. 

The  flight  of  the  Dic?eum  is  very  quick  and  darting,  and  it  makes 
more  use  of  its  wings  and  less  of  its  feet  than  any  of  the  insect-hunting 
birds.  The  nest  is  remarkably  pretty,  being  woven  as  it  were  out  of 
white  cotton  cloth,  and  suspended  from  a  branch  as  if  the  twigs  had 
been  pushed  through  its  substance,  and  is  of  a  peculiar  purse  like  shape. 
The  material  of  which  it  is  woven  is  the  soft  cottony  down  which  is 
found  in  the  seed-vessels  of  many  plants.  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in 
number,  and  their  color  is  a  dull  grayish  white,  profusely  covered  with 
minute  speckles  of  brown. 

The  head,  back,  and  upper  parts  of  the  adult  male  are  deep  black, 
with  a  beautiful  steely-blue  gloss,  the  sides  are  brownish  gray,  and  the 
throat,  breast,  and  under  tail-coverts  are  a  bright  glaring  scarlet.  The 
abdomen  is  snowy  white,  with  the  exception  of  a  tolerably  large  black 
patch  on  its  centre.  The  female  is  more  sombre  in  her  apparel,  the 
head  and  back  being  of  a  dull  sooty  black,  and  the  steel-blue  reflection 
only  appearing  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  wings  and  tail.  The  throat 
and  centre  of  the  abdomen  are  buff",  the  sides  are  pale  grayish  brown, 


THE  POE  BIRD. 


339 


and  the  under  tail-coverts  scarlet,  of  a  less  brilliant  hue  than  in  the 
male.  In  its  dimensions  the  Dicseum  is  hardly  so  large  as  our  common 
wren. 

HONEY-EATERS. 

The  true  Honey-eaters  form  a  very  numerous  group  of  birds,  all  of 
which  are  graceful  in  their  forms  and  pleasing  in  the  color  of  their  plum- 
age, while  in  some  instances  the  hues  with  which  they  are  decorated  are 
so  bright  as  to  afford  ground  for  classing  them  among  the  really  beauti- 
ful birds.  They  all  feed  on  similar  substances,  which,  as  indicated  by 
their  name,  consist  chiefly  of  honey  and  the  sweet  juices  of  flowers, 
although  they  also  vary  their  diet  by  insects  and  other  small  living 
beings. 

Among  this  group  of  birds  the  Poe  Bird,  or  Tue,  or  Parson  Bird, 
is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous,  being  nearly  as  remarkable  for  its  pecu- 


The  Poe  Bird  {Pro&thtinadti a  ZetUindioc). 

liar  coloring  as  the  rifle  bird  itself,  although  the  hues  of  its  feathers  are 
not  quite  so  resplendently  brilliant  as  in  that  creature. 

The  Poe  Bird  is  a  native  of  New  Zealand,  where  it  is  far  from  un- 
common, and  is  captured  by  the  natives  for  the  purpose  of  sale.    Many 


340  HUMMING-BIRDS. 

individuals  are  brought  over  to  Sydney,  where,  according  to  Dr.  Ben- 
nett, they  are  kept  in  cages,  and  are  very  amusing  in  their  habits,  be- 
ing easily  domesticated  and  becoming  very  familiar  with  those  who 
belong  to  the  household.  Independently  of  its  handsome  and  rather 
peculiar  color,  which  makes  it  very  effective  in  a  room,  it  possesses 
several  other  qualifications  which  render  it  a  very  desirable  inhabitant 
'of  an  aviary.  Its  native  notes  are  very  fine,  the  bird  being  considered 
a  remarkably  fine  songster,  and  it  also  possesses  the  power  of  mimicking 
in  a  degree  surpassing  that  of  the  common  magpie  or  raven,  and  hard- 
ly yielding  to  even  the  famous  mocking-bird  himself.  It  learns  to  speak 
with  great  accuracy  and  fluency,  and  readily  imitates  any  sound  that 
may  reach  its  ear,  being  especially  successful  in  its  reproduction  of  the 
song  of  other  birds. 

While  at  liberty  in  its  native  land  it  is  remarkable  for  its  quick, 
restless  activity,  as  it  flits  rapidly  about  the  branches,  pecking  here 
and  there  at  a  stray  insect,  diving  into  the  recesses  of  a  newly-opened 
flower,  and  continually  uttering  its  shrill,  sharp  whistle.  Although 
one  of  the  large  group  of  Meliphagidse,  or  Honey-eaters,  the  Poe  Bird 
feeds  less  upon  honey  than  upon  insects,  which  it  discovers  with  great 
sharpness  of  vision  and  catches  in  a  particularly  adroit  manner.  It 
will  also  feed  upon  worms,  and  sometimes  varies  its  diet  by  fruits. 

In  New  Zealand  it  is  often  killed  for  the  sake  of  its  flesh,  which  is 
said  to  be  very  delicate  and  well  flavored. 

The  general  color  of  the  Poe  Bird  is  a  very  deep  metallic  green,  be- 
coming black  in  certain  lights,  and  having  a  decided  bronze  reflection 
in  others.  The  back  is  deep  brown,  also  with  a  bronze  reflection,  and 
upon  the  shoulders  there  is  a  patch  of  pure  white.  On  the  back  of 
the  neck  the  feathers  are  long  and  lancet-shaped,  each  feather  having 
a  very  narrow  white  streak  along  its  centre.  From  each  side  of  the 
neck  depends  a  tuft  of  snowy  curling  downy  feathers,  spreading  in  fan- 
like fashion  from  their  bases.  This  creature  is  called  the  Parson  Bird 
because  these  white  tufts  are  thought  to  bear  some  resemblance  to 
the  absurd  parallelograms  of  white  lawn  that  are  denominated 
"  bauds." 

HUMMING-BIRDS,  OR  TROCHILID^. 

"  Bright  Humming-bird  of  gem-like  plumeletage, 
By  western  Indians  '  Living  Sun-beam '  named."— Bailey,  Myotic. 

The  wonderful  little  Humming-birds  are  found  only  in  America  and 
the  adjacent  islands,  where  they  take  the  place  of  the' sun-birds  of  the 
Old  World.  It  is  rather  remarkable  that  as  yet  no  Humming-birds 
have  been  discovered  in  Australia. 

These  little  winged  gems  are  most  capricious  in  their  choice  of  lo- 


HUMMING-BIRDS. 


341 


cality,  some  being  spread  over  a  vast  range  of  country,  while  others 
are  confined  within  the  limits  of  a  narrow  belt  of  earth  hardly  more 
than  a  few  hundred  yards  in  width,  and  some  refuse  to  roam  beyond 
the  narrow  precincts  of  a  single  mountain.  Some  of  these  birds  are 
furnished  with  comparatively  short  and  feeble  wings,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, are  obliged  to  remain  in  the  same  land  throughout  the  year, 
while  others  are  strong  of  flight  and  migrate  over  numerous  tracts  of 
country.  They  gather  most  thickly  in  Mexico  and  about  the  equator, 
the  number  of  species  diminishing  rapidly  as  they  recede  from  the  equa- 
torial line. 

The  name  of  Humming-birds  is  given  to  them  on  account  of  the 
humming  or  buzzing  sound  which  they  produce  with  their  wings,  es- 
pecially while  they  are  hovering  in  their  curious  fiishion  over  a 
tempting  blossom,  and  feeding  on  its  contents  while  suspended  in  the 
air. 

The  legs  of  these  birds  are  remarkably  weak  and  delicate,  and  the 
wings  are  proportionately  strong — a  combination  which  shows  that  the 
creatures  are  intended  to  pass  more  of 
their  time  in  the  air  than  on  foot.  Even 
when  feeding  they  very  seldom  trouble 
themselves  to  perch,  but  suspend  them- 
selves in  the  air  before  the  flower  on 
which  they  desire  to  operate,  and  with 
their  long  slender  tongues  are  able  to 
feed  at  ease  without  alighting.  In  the 
skeleton — especially  in  the  shape  of  the 
breast-bone  and  wings,  as  well  as  in  the 
comparatively  small  size  of  the  feet — 
the  Humming-birds  bear  some  analogy  to  the  swifts,  and,  like  those 
birds,  never  lay  more  than  two  eggs. 

The  flight  of  these  birds  is  inconceivably  rapid — so  rapid,  indeed, 
that  the  eye  cannot  follow  it  when  the  full  speed  is  put  forth  ;  and 
with  such  wonderful  rapidity  do  the  little  sharp-cut  wings  beat  the  air 
that  their  form  is  quite  lost,  and  while  the  bird  is  hovering  near  a  sin- 
gle spot  the  wings  look  like  two  filmy  gray  fans  attached  to  the  sides. 
While  darting  from  one  flower  to  another  the  bird  can  hardly  be  seen 
at  all,  and  it  seems  to  come  suddenly  into  existence  at  some  spot,  and 
as  suddenly  to  vanish  from  sight.  Some  Humming-birds  are  fond  of 
towering  to  a  great  height  in  the  air,  and  descending  from  thence  to 
their  nests  or  to  feed,  while  others  keep  near  the  ground,  and  are  sel- 
dom seen  at  an  elevation  of  many  yards. 

The  food  of  the  Humming-bird  is  much  the  same  as  that  of  the 
honey-suckers,  except,  perhaps,  that  they  consume  more  honey  and 
fewer  flies.     Still,  they  are  extremely  fond  of  small   insects,  and   if 

29* 


HUMMING-BIRDS. 


342 


THE  HUMMING-BIRD. 


kept  away  from  this  kind  of  diet  soon  pine  away,  in  spite  of  unlimited 
supplies  of  syrup  and  other  sweet  food. 

In  order  to  enable  the  Humming-bird  to  extract  the  various  sub- 
stances on  which  it  feeds  from  the  interior  of  the  flowers,  the  beak  is 
always  loug  and  delicate,  and  in  shape  is  extremely  variable,  probably 

on  account  of  the 
particular  flowers  on 
which  the  bird  feeds. 
In  some  instances 
the  bill  is  nearly 
straight,  in  others  it 
takes  a  sharp  sickle- 
like downward  curve, 
while  in  some  it  pos- 
sesses a  double  curve. 
The  general  form  of 
the  beak  is,  however, 
a  very  gently  down- 
ward curve,  and  in 
all  instances  it  is 
pointed  at  its  ex- 
tremity. At  the 
base  the  upper  man- 
HuMMiNG-BiRDs.  ^i^lc   is   widcr   than 

the  lower,  which  is  received  into  its  hollow.     The  nostrils  are  placed  at 
the  base  of  the  beak,  and  defended  by  a  little  scale-like  shield. 

The  plumage  is  set  very  closely  on  the  body,  and  is  possessed  of  a 
metallic  brilliancy  in  every  species,  the  males  being  always  more  gor- 
geously decorated  than  their  mates. 

The  tongue  is  a  very  curious  structure,  being  extremely  long,  fil- 
amentous, and  double  nearly  to  its  base.  At  the  throat  it  is  taken  up 
by  that  curious  forked  bony  structure  called  the  hyoid  bone,  the  forks 
of  which  are  enormously  elongated,  and,  passing  under  the  throat  and 
round  the  head,  are  terminated  upon  the  forehead.  By  means  of  this 
structure  the  Humming-bird  is  enabled  to  project  the  tongue  to  a  great 
distance  from  the  bill,  and  to  probe  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  largest 
flowers.  The  common  woodpecker  has  a  very  similar  description  of 
tongue,  and  employs  it  in  a  similar  manner. 

In  their  habits  the  Humming-birds  are  mostly  diurnal,  although 
many  species  are  seen  only  at  dawn  and  just  after  sunset.  Many,  in- 
deed, live  in  such  dense  recesses  of  the  tropical  woods  that  the  beams  of 
the  sun  never  fairly  penetrate  into  their  gloomy  depths,  and  the  Hum- 
ming-bird dwells  in  a  permanent  twilight  beneath  the  foliage.  It  is 
worthy  of  notice  that  the  name  Trochilidse  is  not  a  very  apt  one,  as  the 


THE  SLENDER  SHEAR-TAIL.  343 

Trochilus  was  evidently  a  bird  which  had  nothing  in  common  with  the 
Humming-bird,  and  was  most  probably  the  ziczac  of  Egypt. 

The  upper  figure  in  the  illustration  on  page  342  represents  the  Cora 
Humming-bird,  a  native  of  Peru.  The  head  and  back  are  gold-green, 
the  wings  are  purple,  and  the  throat  is  violet  or  crimson  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  light. 

In  the  centre  is  the  Double-crest,  a  Brazilian  species.  It  derives 
its  name  from  the  crest-like  feathers  that  start  from  either  side  of  the 
head.  The  top  of  the  head  is  azure,  and  the  throat  fiery  crimson.  The 
sides  of  the  face  and  the  chin  are  velvet  black. 

The  Bar-tail  occupies  the  right  of  the  illustration.  It  is  a  native 
of  Bolivia,  and  derives  its  name  from  the  black  tips  of  the  crimson  tail- 
feathers.     The  body  is  green. 

On  the  left  is  Gould's  Humming-bird,  a  lovely  little  creature  re- 
markable for  the  beautiful  neck-tufts,  with  their  pure  white  feathers 
tipped  with  green.     It  is  found  in  the  Amazon  district. 

The  Slender  Shear-tail  is  an  inhabitant  of  Central  America,  and 
appears  to  be  rather  a  local  bird.  It  is  supposed  not  to  be  found  south 
of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  or  to  extend  more  than  eighteen  degrees 


HUMMINO-BIRDS. 

northward.  As  its  wings  are  rather  short  and  not  remarkable  for 
strength,  it  is  conjectured  to  be  a  non-migratory  bird.  The  country 
where  it  is  seen  in  the  greatest  plenty  is  Guatemala. 

The  sexes  of  this  creature  are  very  different  in  their  form  and  the 
color  of  their  plumage,  and  could  hardly  be  recognized  as  belonging  to 
the  same  species.  In  the  adult  male  bird  the  upper  parts  of  the  body 
are  a  deep  shining  green,  becoming  brown  on  the  head,  and  changmg 
into  bronze  on  the  back  and  wing-coverts.  The  wings  are  purple-brown. 
The  long  and  deep  forked  tail  is  black,  with  the  exception  of  a  little 
brown  upon  the  inner  web  of  the  two  uttermost  feathers.  The  chin  is  black 


344  THE  COPPER-BELLIED  PUFF-LEG. 

glossed  with  green,  the  throat  is  deep  metallic  purple,  and  upon  the  up- 
per part  of  the  chest  is  placed  a  large  crescent-shaped  mark  of  buff.  The 
abdomen  is  bronze,  with  a  gray  spot  in  its  centre,  and  there  is  a  buff 
spot  on  each  flank.     The  under  tail-coverts  are  of  a  greenish  hue. 

The  female  does  not  possess  the  long  tail,  and  her  colors  are  golden- 
green  above  and  reddish  buff  below.  The  tail  is  very  curiously  marked. 
The  central  feathers  are  entirely  gold-green ;  the  exterior  feathers  are 
rusty  red  at  their  base,  black  for  a  considerable  portion  of  their  length, 
and  tipped  with  white. 

Several  of  the  Humming-birds  are  remarkable  for  a  tuft  of  pure 
white  downy  feathers  which  envelops  each  leg,  and  which  has  obtained 
for  them  the  popular  title  of  Puff-legs,  because  the  white  tufts  bear 
some  resemblance  to  a  powder-puff.  The  Copper-bellied  Puff-leg 
is  an  inhabitant  of  Santa  Fe  de  Bogota,  and  is  a  very  common  bird  in 
that  locality.  It  may  easily  be  found,  as  it  is  a  remarkably  local  bird, 
being  confined  to  a  narrow  strip  or  belt  of  land  which  possesses  the  req- 
uisite characteristics  of  temperature  and  vegetation. 

It  is  a  very  beautiful  little  bird,  and  both  the  sexes  are  nearly  similar 
in  their  color  and  general  appearance,  except  that  in  the  female  the 
puffs  of  white  down  are  not  so  large  or  so  conspicuous  as  in  her  mate. 
In  the  adult  male  the  top  of  the  head,  the  sides  of  the  neck,  and  the 
back  are  green  washed  with  a  decided  tint  of  bronze,  except  upon  the 
upper  tail-coverts,  where  the  green  is  very  pure  and  of  a  metallic  bril- 
liancy. As  is  generally  the  case  with  Humming-birds,  the  fine  and 
sharply-cut  wings  are  brown  washed  with  purple.  The  tail  is  black, 
with  a  purple  gloss  in  a  side  light.  The  throat  is  of  a  beautiful  shining 
metallic  green,  and  the  general  color  of  the  breast  and  under  portions 
of  the  body  is  green  glossed  with  gold,  with  the  exception  of  the  abdo- 
men, where  the  green  takes  a  coppery  hue,  from  which  the  bird  has 
received  its  popular  name.  The  "  puffs  "  are  of  a  snowy  whiteness,  and 
look  like  refined  swan's-down. 

The  female  is  very  similar  in  color,  except  that  the  hues  of  the  throat 
are  not  possessed  of  so  metallic  a  brilliancy,  and,  as  has  already  been 
stated,  the  leg-tufts  are  comparatively  small. 

We  have  in  the  Racket-tailed  Humming-birds  one  of  those  singular 
forms  which  are  so  often  found  among  these  strange  little  birds. 

The  White-booted  Racket-tail  inhabits  the  Columbian  Andes, 
and  is  very  common  near  Santa  Fe  de  Bogota.  It  is  a  hill-loving  bird, 
being  generally  found  at  an  elevation  of  five  or  ten  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is  thought  to  be  confined  within  the  third  and 
tenth  degrees  of  north  latitude.  This  bird  is  remarkably  swift  of  wing, 
its  darting  flight  reminding  the  spectator  of  the  passage  of  an  arrow 
through  the  air.  At  one  time  it  will  hover  close  to  the  ground,  hang- 
ing over  some  favorite  flower  and  extracting  the  sweet  contents  of  the 


THE  WHITE-BOOTED  EACKET-TAIL. 


345 


blossoms,  and  at  the  next  moment  it  will  shoot  to  the  very  summit  of 
some  lofty  tree,  as  if  impelled  from  a  bow,  and  leave  but  the  .mpres- 
sion  of  an  emerald-green  line  of  light  upon  the  observer  s  eye  Whde 
hovering  over  the  flowers  the  long  racket-shaped  feathers  of  the  tail 


WniTE-BOOTEP  Racket-taii,  {SpaJhura  Underv^oodii),  Mai.e  ask  Femaee. 
are  in  constant  motion,  waving  gently  in  the  air,  "^^^^^g  'f^'^j^f  Jf/^ 
opening  and  closing  in  the  most  graceful  "'^^'^f  .■••     ^"*„f  ,^"  ^T^Ct 
darts  off  with  its  peculiar  arrowy  flight,  the  tail  feathers  he  straight 

behind  it. 


346  THE  KUBY  AND  TOPAZ  HUMMING-BIRD. 

The  male  of  this  species  is  bronze-green  upon  the  greater  part  of  the 
body,  the  green  taking  a  richer  and  redder  hue  upon  the  upper  tail- 
coverts.  The  throat  and  breast  are  brilliant  emerald  green.  The  wings 
are  purple-brown,  and  the  tail  is  brown,  with  the  exception  of  the  rack- 
ets, which  are  black  "shot"  with  green.  The  feet  are  yellow,  and  upon 
the  legs  are  placed  two  beautiful  white  puffs.  The  whole  length  of  the 
bird  is  rather  more  than  three  inches.  The  female  bird  does  not  possess 
the  racket-shaped  tail-feathers,  and  is  of  a  bronze-green  upon  the  upper 
surface.  The  tail  is  brown,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  middle 
feathers,  which  are  bronze-green  like  the  body.  The  two  exterior 
feathers  are  tipped  with  white,  and  the  others  with  bronze-green.  The 
under  surface  is  white,  diversified  with  bronze-green  spots  on  the  breast 
and  flanks.     The  puffs  are  smaller  than  in  the  male. 

The  Spangled  Coquette  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  very  re- 
markable genus  to  which  it  belongs.  All  the  Coquettes  possess  a  well- 
defined  crest  upon  the  head  and  a  series  of  projecting  feathers  from  the 
neck,  some  being  especially  notable  for  the  one  ornament,  and  others 
for  the  other. 

The  crown  of  the  head  and  the  crest  are  light  ruddy  chestnut,  each 
feather  having  a  ball-like  spot  of  dark  bronze-green  at  the  tip.  The 
throat  and  face  are  shining  metallic  green,  below  which  is  a  small  tuft 
of  pointed  white  feathers  that  have  a  very  curious  effect  as  they  pro- 
trude from  beneath  the  gorget.  The  upper  parts  are  bronze-green  as 
far  as  the  lower  part  of  the  back,  where  a  band  crosses  from  side  to 
side,  and  the  rest  of  the  plumage  is  dark  ruddy  chestnut  as  far  as  the 
tail.  The  tail  is  also  chestnut-brown  with  a  slight  wash  of  metallic 
green.     The  female  has  no  crest  or  green  gorget. 

The  Ruby  and  Topaz  Humming-bird  derives  its  name  from  the 
coloring  of  its  head  and  throat,  the  former  being  of  a  deep  ruby  tint, 
and  the  latter  of  a  resplendent  topaz.  Sometimes  it  is  called  the  Ruby- 
headed  Humming-bird,  and  it  is  also  known  under  the  name  of  the 
Aurora.  It  is  very  common  in  Bahia,  the  Guianas,  Trinidad,  and  the 
Caracas,  and,  as  it  is  in  great  request  for  the  dealers,  is  killed  by 
thousands  annually.  There  is  no  species  so  common  in  ornamental 
cases  of  Humming-birds  as  the  Ruby  and  Topaz.  It  makes  a  very 
beautiful  nest,  round,  cup-like,  and  delicately  woven  of  cotton  and 
various  fibres,  and  covered  externally  with  little  leaves  and  bits  of 
lichen. 

The  plumage  of  this  species  is  extremely  variable,  but  may  be 
described  briefly  as  follows :  The  forehead,  the  crown,  and  the  nape 
of  the  neck  are  metallic  ruby-red,  and  the  chin,  throat,  and  chest  are 
effulgent  topaz.  The  upper  parts  of  the  body  are  velvetv  bronze-brown, 
and  the  wings  are  purple-brown.  The  tail  is  rich  chestnut-red,  tipped 
with  black,  and  the  abdomen  is  a  dark  olive-brown.     The  female  has 


THE  VERVAIN  HUMMING-BIRD. 


347 


none  of  the  ruby  patches  on  the  head,  but  retains  a  little  of  the  topaz 
on  the  throat. 

The  Ruby-throated  Humming-bird  inhabits  North  America,  and 
derives  its  name  from  the  brilliant  ruby  hue  of  the  feathers  that  adorn 
its  throat.  It  is  one  of  the  com 
nionest  as  well  as  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  this  lovely  group. 

The  beautiful  little  Vervain 
Humming-bird  is  one  of  the  mi- 
nutest examples  of  feathered  life 
that  are  at  present  known  to  zoolo- 
gists. In  total  length  this  bird  does 
not  measure  three  inches ;  while, 
as  the  tail  occupies  nearly  an  inch 
and  the  head  half  an  inch,  the  act- 
ual length  of  the  body  will  be 
seen  to  be  not  quite  an  inch  and 
a  half.  It  is  a  native  of  Jamaica, 
and  has  been  admirably  described 
by  Mr.  Gosse  while  treating  of  the 
birds  which  inhabit  that  island. 

The  name  of  Vervain  Hum- 
ming-bird has  been  given  to  this 
tiny  creature  because  it  is  in  the 
habit  of  feeding  on  the  blossoms 
of  the  AVest  Indian  vervain,  but  it 
is  also  known  under  a  variety  of 
other  titles,  and  has  been  de- 
scribed by  many  scientific  writers 
under  different  uames. 

The  general  color  of  this  beautiful  little  bird  is  a  brilliant  metallic 
green,  the  wings  being,  as  usual,  purple-brown,  and  the  tail  deep  black. 
The  throat  and  chin  are  white,  sprinkled  profusely  with  little  black 
spots,  and  the  breast  is  pure  white.  The  abdomen  is  also  white,  but 
diversified  with  a  slight  green  tip  to  each  feather,  and  the  flanks  are 
bright  metallic  green,  nearly  as  resplendent  as  upon  the  back.  The 
under  tail-coverts  are  white,  with  a  few  very  pale  green  spots.  The 
colors  of  the  female  are  rather  more  dull  than  those  of  her  mate,  the 
green  being  tinged  with  yellow,  and  the  under  parts  without  the  green 
spots.  The  first  half  of  the  tail  is  yellowish  green,  and  all  the  feathers 
of  the  tail,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  central  feathers,  are  furnished 
with  white  tips. 

The  nest  of  the  Vervain  Humming-bird  is  very  small,  in  accordance 
with  the  dimensions  of  the  architect,  is  round  and  cup-like  in  shape, 


The  Ruby  and  Topaz  Humming-bird 

{Chrysolampis  moschitus). 


348 


THE  CREEPER. 


'^"''^'Wm 


and  beautifully  constructed  of  cotton  fibres  and  other  soft  and  warm 
substances.  As  is  the  case  with  the  nests  of  almost  all  the  species  of 
Trochilidte,  the  rim  is  so  made  as  to  curve  slightly  inward,  and  is,  in 
all  probability,  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  eggs  from 
rolling  out  of  the  nest  when  the  "  procreant  cradle"  is  rocked  by  the 
tempestuous  winds  of  the  tropics. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Certhid^  or  Creepers,  the  best  known  of 
which  is  the  English  Creeper. 

This  little  bird  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and    most  interesting  of  the 
feathered  tribes  that  are  found  in  England.     It  is  a  very  small  bird, 

hardly  so  large  as  a  sparrow, 
^^^1/y      ',^J\'llinilLfL'.l'J'!!l¥€l~.   aiid     beautifully    slender    in 

shape.  The  bill  is  rather 
long,  pointed,  and  curved,- 
and  the  tail  feathers  are  stiif 
and  pointed  at  their  extrem- 
ities. Tlie  food  of  the  Creep- 
er consists  chiefly  of  insects, 
although  the  bird  will  some- 
times vary  its  diet  by  seeds 
and  otlier  vegetable  sub- 
stances. Tlie  insects  on 
which  it  feeds  live  princi- 
pally under  the  bark  of 
various  rough-skinned  trees, 
and  when  it  is  engaged  in 
seeking  after  its  food  it  runs 
spirally  up  the  trunk  with 
wonderful  ease  and  celerity, 
probing  every  crevice  with 
ready  adroitness,  its  whole  frame  instinct  with  sparkling  eagerness, 
and  its  little  black  eyes  glancing  with  the  exuberance  of  its  delight. 
While  running  on  the  side  of  the  tree  which  is  nearest  to  the  spectator, 
it  presents  a  very  curious  appearance,  as  its  dark-brown  back  and  quick 
tripping  movements  give  it  a  great  resemblance  to  a  mouse,  and  ever 
and  anon,  as  it  comes  again  into  sight  from  the  opposite  side  of  the 
trunk,  its  b3autifully  white  breast  gleams  suddenly  in  contrast  with  the 
sombre-colored  bark.  Its  eyes  are  wonderfully  keen,  as  it  will  discern 
insects  of  so  minute  a  form  that  the  human  eye  can  hardly  perceive 
them,  and  it  seems  to  possess  some  instinctive  mode  of  detecting  the 
presence  of  its  insect  prey  beneath  moss  or  lichens,  and  will  persever- 
ingly  bore  through  the  substance  in  which  they  are  hidden,  never  fail- 
ing to  secure  them  at  last. 

The  Creeper  is  a  very  timid  bird  ;  and  if  it  is  alarmed  at  the  sight  of 


The  Common  Tree  Creeper  {Certhia 
familiar  is). 


THE  NUTHATCH. 


349 


a  human  being,  it  will  either  fly  oflT  to  a  distant  tree,  or  will  qu-ietly  slip 
round  the  trunk  of  the  tree  on  which  it  is  running  and  keep  itself  care- 
fully out  of  sight.  It  soon,  however,  gains  confidence,  and,  provided 
that  the  spectator  remains  perfectly  quiet,  the  little  head  and  white 
breast  may  soon  be  seen  peering  anxi(jusly  round  the  trunk,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  bird  will  resume  its  progress  upon  the  tree,  and  run 
cheerily  up  the  bark,  accompanying  itself  with  its  faint  trilling  song. 
It  seldom  attempts  a  long  flight,  seeming  to  content  itself  with  flitting 
from  tree  to  tree. 

The  nest  of  the  Creeper  is  usually  made  in  the  hollow  of  some  decay- 
ing tree,  and  is  composed  of  grasses,  leaves,  and  vegetable  fibres,  and 
lined  with  feathers.  The  eggs  are  very  small,  about  seven  or  eight  in 
number,  and  of  an  ashen-gray  color,  sprinkled  with  little  gray-brown 
spots.  Sometimes  it  builds  in  the  hole  of  an  old  wall,  and  has  been 
known  to  make  its  nest  in  a  disused  spout. 

The  Nuthatches  are  represented  in  England  by  the  common  Nut- 
hatch of  the  woods.  They  are 
all  remarkable  for  their  pecu- 
liarly stout  and  sturdy  build, 
their  strong,  pointed,  cylindri- 
cal beaks,  and  their  very  short 
•tails. 

The  Nuthatch,  although  by  no 
means  a  rare  bird,  is  seldom  seen 
except  by  those  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  its  haunts,  on  ac- 
count of  its  shy  and  retiring 
habits.  As  it  feeds  mostly  on 
nuts,  it  is  seldom  seen  except  in 
woods  or  their  immediate  vicin- 
ity, although  it  will  sometimes 
become  rather  bold,  and  frequent 
gardens  and  orchards  where  nuts 
are  grown.  The  bird  also  feeds 
upon  insects,  which  it  procures 
from  under  the  bark  after  the 
manner  of  the  creepers,  and  it 
is  not  unlikely  that  many  of 
the  nuts  wdiich  are  eaten  by  the 
Nuthatch  have  been  inhabited 
by  the  grub  of  the  nut  weevil. 
It  will  also  feed  upon  the  seeds 
of  different  plants,  especially  preferring  those  which  it  pecks  ofl'  the 
fir-cones. 

30 


The  N  uthatch  [Sitta  Europcea). 


350  THE  LYRE-BIKD. 

In  order  to  extract  the  kernel  of  the  nut,  the  bird  fixes  the  fruit 
securely  iu  some  convenient  crevice,  and,  by  dint  of  repeated  ham- 
merings with  its  beak,  breaks  a  large  ragged  hole  in  the  shell,  through 
which  the  kernel  is  readily  extracted.  The  blows  are  given  not  merely 
by  the  stroke  of  the  beak,  but  the  bird  grasps  firmly  with  its  strong 
claws,  and,  swinging  its  whole  body  upon  its  feet,  delivers  its  stroke 
with  the  full  weight  and  sway  of  the  body. 

The  nest  of  the  Nuthatch  is  placed  in  the  hollow  of  a  decaying  tree, 
and  the  bird  always  chooses  some  hole  to  which  there  is  but  a  small 
entrance.  Should  the  orifice  be  too  large  to  please  its  taste,  it  ingeni- 
ously builds  up  the  hole  with  clay  and  mud,  probably  to  prevent  the  in- 
trusion of  any  other  bird.  If  any  foe  should  veutuie  too  near  the  nest, 
the  mother-bird  becomes  exceedingly  valiant,  and,  dashing  boldly  at  her 
enemy,  bites  and  pecks  so  vigorously  with  her  powerful  beak,  hissing 
and  scolding  the  while,  that  she  mostly  succeeds  in  driving  away  the 
assailant.  The  nest  is  a  very  inartificial  structure,  made  chiefly  of 
dried  leaves  laid  loosely  upon  the  decaying  wood,  and  rudely  scraped 
into  the  form  of  a  nest. 

In  its  color  the  Nuthatch  is  a  rather  pretty  bird,  of  pleasing  though 
not  of  brilliantly-tinted  plumage.  The  general  color  of  the  upper  parts 
is  a  delicate  bluish  gray,  the  throat  is  white,  and  the  abdomen  and  un- 
der parts  are  reddish  brown,  warming  into  rich  chestnut  on  the  flanks. 
From  the  angle  of  the  mouth  a  narrow  black  baud  passes  toward  the 
back  of  the  neck,  enveloping  the  eye  in  its  course  and  terminating  sud- 
denly before  it  reaches  the  shoulders.  The  tail  is  black  on  the  base 
and  gray  toward  the  tip,  except  the  two  outer  tail  feathers,  which 
have  each  a  black  spot  near  the  extremity.  The  shafts  are  also 
black. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  family  of  the  Wrens,  iu  which  group  we  find 
two  birds  so  dissimilar  in  outward  appearance  as  apparently  to  belong 
to  different  orders,  the  one  being  the  common  Wren  of  England,  and 
the  other  the  celebrated  Lyre-bird  of  Australia. 

This  bird,  which  also  goes  under  the  name  of  Native  Pheasant 
among  the  colonists,  and  is  generally  called  Bullen-bullen  by  the 
natives,  on  account  of  its  peculiar  cry,  would,  if  it  had  been  known  to 
the  ancients,  have  been  consecrated  to  Apollo,  its  lyre-shaped  tail  and 
flexible  voice  giving  it  a  double  claim  to  such  honors.  The  extra- 
ordinary tail  of  this  bird  is  often  upward  of  two  feet  in  length,  and 
consists  of  sixteen  feathers,  formed  and  arranged  in  a  very  curious  and 
graceful  manner.  The  two  outer  feathers  are  broadly  webbed,  and,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  illustration,  are  curved  in  a  manner  that  gives  to 
the  widely-spread  tail  the  appearance  of  an  ancient  lyre.  AVhen  the 
tail  is  merely  held  erect  and  not  spread,  the  two  lyre-shaped  feathers 
cross  each  other,  and  produce  an  entirely  different  outline.     The  two 


ITS  HABITS. 


351 


central  tail  feathers  are  narrowly  webbed,  and  all  the  others  are  mod- 
ified with  long  slender  shafts,  bearded  by  alternate  feathery  filaments, 
and  well  representing  the  strings  of  the  lyre. 

The  tail  is  seen  in  its  greatest  beauty  between  the  months  of  June 
and  September,  after  which  time  it  is  shed,  to  make  its  first  reappeai^ 
ance  in  the  ensu- 
ing February  or 
March.  The  hab- 
its of  this  bird 
are  very  curious, 
and  are  so  well 
and  graphically 
described  by  Mr. 
Gould  that  an 
account  of  them 
must  be  given  in 
his  own  words : 

"  The  great 
stronghold  of  the 
Lyre-bird  is  the 
colony  of  New 
South  Wales, 
and,  from  what 
I  could  learn,  its 
range  does  not 
extend  so  far  to 
the  eastward  as 
Moretou  Bay, 
neither  have  I 
been  able  to 
trace  it  to  the 
westward  of  Port 
Phillip,    on    the 

southern  coast ;  but  further  research  only  can  determine  these  points. 
It  inhabits  equally  the  bushes  on  the  coast  and  those  that  clothe  the 
sides  of  the  mountains  in  the  interior.  On  the  coast  it  is  especially 
abundant  at  the  Western  Port  and  Illawarra ;  in  the  interior  the  cedar 
brushes  of  the  Liverpool  range,  and,  according  to  Mr.  G.  Bennett,  the 
mountains  of  the  Tiimat  country,  are  among  the  places  of  which  it  is 
the  denizen. 

"  Of  all  the  birds  I  have  ever  met  with,  the  Menura  is  far  the  most 
shy  and  difiicult  to  procure.  AVhile  among  the  mountains  I  have  been 
surrounded  by  these  birds,  pouring  forth  their  loud  and  liquid  calls  for 
days  together,  without  being  able  to  get  a  sight  of  them,  and  it  was 


The  Lyre-bird  {Menura  superba). 


352  THE  LYRE-BIRD. 

only  by  the  most  determined  perseverance  and  extreme  caution  that  I 
was  enabled  to  effect  this  desirable  object,  which  was  rendered  more 
difficult  by  their  often  frequenting  the  almost  inaccessible  and  precip- 
itous sides  of  gullies  and  ravines,  covered  with  tangled  masses  of  creepers 
and  umbrageous  trees ;  the  cracking  of  a  stick,  the  rolling  down  of  a 
small  stone,  or  any  other  noise,  however  slight,  is  sufficient  to  alarm  it; 
and  none  but  those  who  have  traversed  these  rugged,  hot,  and  suffocating 
bushes  can  fully  understand  the  anxious  labor  attendant  on  the  pursuit 
of  the  Menura. 

"  At  Illawarra  it  is  sometimes  successfully  pursued  by  dogs  trained 
to  rush  suddenly  upon  it,  when  it  immediately  leaps  upon  the  branch 
of  a  tree,  and,  its  attention  being  attracted  by  the  dog  below  barking, 
it  is  easily  approached  and  shot.  Another  successful  mode  of  procuring 
specimens  is  by  wearing  the  tail  of  a  fuU-plumaged  male  in  the  hat, 
keeping  it  constantly  in  motion,  and  concealing  the  person  among  the 
bushes,  when,  the  attention  of  the  bird  being  arrested  by  the  apparent 
intrusion  of  another  of  its  own  sex,  it  will  be  attracted  within  the 
range  of  the  gun.  If  the  bird  be  hidden  from  view  by  surrounding 
objects,  any  unusual  sound,  such  as  a  shrill  whistle,  will  generally 
induce  him  to  show  himself  for  an  instant,  by  causing  him  to  leap  with 
a  gay  and  sprightly  air  upon  some  neighboring  branch  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  the  disturbance ;  advantage  must  be  taken  of  this  circum- 
stance immediately,  or  the  next  moment  he  may  be  halfway  down  the 
gully. 

"The  Menura  seldom,  if  ever,  attempts  to  escape  by  flight,  but  easily 
eludes  pursuit  by  its  extraordinary  powers  of  running.  None  are  so 
efficient  in  obtaining  specimens  as  the  naked  black,  whose  noiseless 
and  gliding  steps  enable  him  to  steal  upon  it  unheard  or  unperceived, 
and  with  a  gun  in  his  hand  he  rarely  allows  it  to  escape,  and  in  many 
instances,  he  will  even  kill  it  with  his  own  weapons. 

"  The  food  of  the  Menura  appears  to  consist  principally  of  insects, 
particularly  of  centipedes  and  coleoptera.  I  also  found  the  remains 
of  shelled  snails  in  the  gizzard,  which  is  very  strong  and  muscular." 

The  nest  of  the  Lyre-bird  is  a  large,  loosely-built,  domed  structure, 
composed  of  small  sticks,  roots,  and  leaves,  and  is  of  an  oven-like 
shape,  the  entrance  being  in  front.  The  lining  is  warm  and  soft,  being 
composed  of  downy  feathers. 

The  egg  of  this  singular  bird  is  quite  as  curious  as  its  general  form, 
and  presents  the  curious  anomaly  of  an  egg  as  large  as  that  of  a  com- 
mon fowl,  possessing  all  the  characteristics  of  the  insessorial  egg.  The 
general  color  of  the  egg  is  a  deep  chocolate  tint,  marked  with  purple 
more  or  less  deep  in  different  specimens,  and  its  surface  is  covered  with 
a  number  of  stains  and  blotches  of  a  darker  hue,  which  are  gathered 
toward  the  larger  end,  as  is  usual  in  spotted  eggs. 


THE  WREN. 


353 


We  are  all  familiar  with  the  Wren. 

The  long  and  harsh  name  of  "  Troglodytes,"  which  has  been  given 
to  this  bird,  signifies  a  diver  into  caves,  and  has  been  attributed  to  the 
Wren  on  account  of  its  shy  and  retiring  habits,  and  its  custom  of  hid- 
ing its  nest  in  some  hollow  or  crevice  where  it  may  escape  observation. 
The  Wren  is  seldom  to  be  seen  in  the  open  country,  and  does  not  ven- 
ture upon  any  lengthened  flight,  but  confines  itself  to  the  hedgerows 
and  brushwood,  where  it  may  often  be  observed  hopping  and  skipping 
like  a  tiny  feathered  mouse  among  — ^UT^       ' 

the  branches.     It  especially  haunts  ^     ^^^^    ^ *|y 
the  hedges  which  are  flanked  by  ^i&i  ''       "    ' 
ditches,  as  it  can  easily  hide  itself  W 
in  such  localities,  and  can  also  ob-  J, 
tain  a  plentiful  supply  of  food.    By 
remaining  perfectly  quiet,  the  ob- 
server can  readily  watch  its  move- 
ments, and  it  is  really  an  interest- 
ing sight  to  see  the  little  creature 
flitting  about  the  brushwood,  flirt- 
ing its  saucily  expressive  tail,  and 
uttering   its   quick   and    cheering 
note. 

The  voice  of  the  Wren  is  very 
sweet  and  melodious,  and  of  a 
more  powerful  character  than  would  be  imagined  from  the  dimensions 
of  the  bird.  The  Wren  is  a  merry  little  creature,  and  chants  its  gay 
song  on  the  slightest  encouragement  of  weather.  Even  in  winter  there 
needs  but  the  gleam  of  a  few  stray  sunbeams  to  set  the  Wren  a-singing, 
and  the  cold  Christmas  season  is  often  cheered  with  its  happy  notes. 

The  nest  of  the  Wren  is  rather  an  ambitious  structure,  being  a  com- 
pletely domed  edifice,  and  built  in  a  singularly  ingenious  manner.  If, 
however,  the  bird  can  find  a  suitable  spot,  such  as  the  hole  of  a  decay- 
ing tree,  the  gnarled  and  knotted  branches  of  old  ivy,  or  the  overhang- 
ing eaves  of  a  deserted  building  where  a  natural  dome  is  formed,  it  is 
sure  to  seize  upon  the  opportunity  and  to  make  a  dome  of  very  slight 
workmanship.     The  dome,  however,  always  exists  in  some  form. 

The  materials  of  which  the  nest  is  composed  are  always  leaves,  moss, 
grass,  and  lichens,  and  it  is  almost  always  so  neatly  budt  that  it  can 
hardly  be  seen  by  one  who  was  not  previously  aware  of  its  position. 
The  opening  of  the  nest  is  always  at  the  side,  so  that  the  eggs  are  se- 
curely shielded  from  the  effects  of  weather. 

As  to  the  locality  and  position  in  which  the  nest  is  placed  no  definite 
rule  is  observed,  for  the  Wren  is  more  capricious  than  the  generality 
of  birds  in  fixing  upon  a  house  for  her  young.    Wrens'  nests  have  been 
30*  X 


The  Wren  {Troglodytes  vulgaris). 


354  THE  TAILOR-BIRD. 

found  in  branches,  hedges,  hayricks,  waterspouts,  hollow  trees,  barns, 
and  outhouses.  Sometimes  the  Wren  becomes  absolutely  eccentric  in 
its  choice,  and  builds  its  nest  in  spots  which  no  one  would  conjecture 
that  a  bird  would  select.  A  Wren  has  been  known  to  make  its  nest  in 
the  body  of  a  dead  hawk  which  had  been  killed  and  nailed  to  the  side 
of  a  barn.  Another  Wren  chose  to  make  her  house  in  the  throat  of 
a  dead  calf  which  had  been  hung  upon  a  tree,  and  another  of  these 
curious  little  birds  was  seen  to  build  in  the  interior  of  a  pump,  gaining 
access  to  her  eggs  and  young  through  the  spout. 

The  eggs  of  the  Wren  are  very  small,  and  are  generally  from  six  to 
eight  in  number. 

During  the  winter  the  Wren  generally  shelters  itself  from  the  weather 
in  the  same  nest  which  it  had  inhabited"  during  the  breeding  season, 
and  in  very  cold  seasons  it  is  not  an  uncommon  event  to  find  six  or 
seven  Wrens  all  huddled  into  a  heap  for  the  sake  of  warmth,  and  pre- 
senting to  the  eye  or  hand  of  the  spectator  nothing  but  a  shapeless 
mass  of  soft  brown  feathers.  It  is  probable  that  these  little  gatherings 
may  be  composed  of  members  of  the  same  family. 

The  color  of  the  Wren  is  a  rich  reddish  brown,  paling  considerably 
on  the  under  surface  of  the  body,  and  darkening  into  dusky  brown 
upon  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail.  The  outer  webs  of  the 
former  are  sprinkled  with  reddish-brown  spots,  and  the  short  tail 
feathers  are  barred  with  the  same  hue.  The  bill  is  slender,  and  rather 
long  in  proportion  to  the  general  dimensions  of  the  bird.  The  total 
length  of  the  Wren  is  rather  more  than  four  inches.  White  and  pied 
varieties  are  not  uncommon. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  very  large  family  of  the  Warblers. 

The  first  example  of  the  Warblers  is  the  celebrated  Tailor-bird  of 
India  and  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

The  Tailor-bird  is  a  sober  little  creature,  not  more  conspicuous  than 
a  common  sparrow,  and  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  curious  nest, 
which  is  made  in  a  singular  and  most  ingenious  manner.  Taking  two 
leaves  at  the  extremity  of  a  slender  twig,  the  bird  literally  sews  them 
together  at  their  edges,  its  bill  taking  the  place  of  the  needle  and  veg- 
etable fibres  constituting  the  thread.  A  quantity  of  soft  cottony  down 
is  then  pushed  between  the  leaves,  and  a  convenient  hollow  scraped 
out  in  which  the  eggs  may  lie  and  the  young  birds  may  rest  at  their 
ease.  Sometimes,  if  the  leaf  be  large  enough,  its  two  edges  are  drawn 
together,  but  in  general  a  pair  of  leaves  is  needed.  A  few  feathers  are 
sometimes  mixed  with  the  down. 

This  curious  nest  is  evidently  hung  at  the  very  extremity  of  the  twigs 
in  order  to  keep  it  out  of  the  way  of  the  monkeys,  snakes,  and  other 
enemies  which  might  otherwise  attack  and  devour  mother  and  young 
toyrether. 


THE  GOLDEN-CRESTED  WREN. 


355 


The  tiny  Golden-crested  Wren,  as  it  is  popularly  called,  is  very 
common  throughout  England,  and  may  be  seen  hopping  and  flitting 
merrily  among  the  branches  in  copses,  orchards,  and  plantations.  Al- 
though from  its  diminutive  size  it  has  gained  the  title  of  Wren,  it  has 
no  claim  to  that  designation,  and  is  more  rightly  termed  the  Kinglet, 
or  Regulus. 

The  Golden-crested  Wren  is  notable  for  the  crest  of  golden-colored 
feathers  which  is  placed  upon  the  crown  of  its  head,  which  it  can  raise 
or  depress  at  pleasure,  _^^  ^ 

and    which    gives    so  •  ?^^^^^^^Hj&lll^^^^*^^^  ^S^ 

pert  and  changeful 
an  expression  to  the 
little  creature.  But 
for  this  golden  crest, 
which  is  not  at  all 
conspicuous  when  the 
feathers  are  lowered, 
the  bird  might  easily 
be  mistaken  for  a 
tree-creeper  as  it 
runs  up  and  down 
the  branches,  search- 
ing in  the  crevices  of 
the  bark  for  the  little 
insects  on  which  it 
feeds.  The  first  spe- 
cimen that  I  ever  saw 
was  traversing  the 
branches  of  a  fine 
"  Blenheim  Orange  " 
apple  tree  in  an  ad- 
joining garden,  and 
by  my  inexperienced  eyes  was  at  first  taken  for  a  very  young  creeper. 
Like  the  creeper,  it  can  even  run  up  a  perpendicular  wall,  peering  into 
every  little  crevice,  and  stocking  up  the  moss  and  lichens  for  the  pur- 
pose of  obtaining  the  insects  and  their  eggs  that  are  lying  concealed. 
It  will  also  eat  the  chrysalides  that  are  found  so  abundantly  upon  the 
walls. 

All  the  movements  of  the  Golden-crested  Wren  are  full  of  spring 
and  fiery  activity,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  will  launch  itself  from 
one  tree  to  another,  and  then,  without  a  pause,  commence  traversing 
the  branches,  is  a  sight  well  worth  seeing.  Perhaps  the  bird  is  seen  to 
best  advantage  among  the  fir  trees,  where  it  finds  great  scope  for  its 
active  habits.     Up  one  branch  it  scuds,  down  another,  then  whisks 


The  Tailor-bird  {Orthotomus  longicaudus 


356 


THE  FIKE-CRESTED  WREN. 


itself  through  the  air  to  a  fresh  tree,  and  then  flings  itself  back  again 
to  its  former  perch.  Along  the  twigs  it  runs  with  astonishing  rapidity, 
sometimes  clinging  with  its  head  downward,  sometimes  running  round 
and  round  them  spirally,  always  twisting  its  pert  little  head  in  every 
direction, 'and  probing  each  hole  and  crevice  with  its  sharp,  slender  lit- 
tle bill.  The  roughest-barked  trees  are  its  favorite  resort,  because  in 
such  localities  it  finds  its  best  supply  of  insect  food. 

The  nest  of  this  beautiful  little  bird  is  exquisitely  woven  of  various 
soft  substances,  and  is  generally  suspended  to  a  trunk  where  it  is  well 

sheltered  from  the  weather.  I 
have  often  found  its  nest,  and  in 
every  instance  have  noticed  that 
it  is  shaded  by  leaves,  the  project- 
ing portion  of  a  branch,  or  some 
such  protection.  In  one  case  the 
nest,  which  was  suspended  to  a  fir 
branch,  was  almost  invisible  be- 
neath a  heavy  bunch  of  large 
cones  that  drooped  over  it,  and 
forced  the  bird  to  gain  admission 
by  creeping  along  the  branch  to 
which  the  nest  was  suspended. 
The  edifice  is  usually  supported 
by  three  branches,  one  above  and 
one  at  either  side.  The  nest  is 
usually  lined  with  feathers,  and 
contains  a  considerable  number 
of  eggs,  generally  from  six  to  ten. 
These  eggs  are  hardly  bigger  than 
peas,  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  their 
shells  are  so  delicately  thin  that  to  extract  the  interior  without  damag- 
ing them  is  a  very  difficult  matter. 

The  entire  length  of  this  bird  is  about  three  inches  and  a  half,  and  its 
general  color  is  brownish  above,  marked  with  olive-green,  and  flanked 
with  white  on  the  wing-coverts.  The  under  surface  is  yellowish  gray, 
the  beak  is  black,  and  the  eye  hazel-brown.  The  forehead  is  marked 
with  grayish  white ;  the  crest  is  brilliant  yellow  tipped  with  orange, 
and  on  each  side  of  it  runs  a  black  line.  The  female  is  not  so  brilliant 
in  her  coloring,  and  the  crest  is  wholly  of  a  pale  yellow. 

The  Fire-crested  Wren  is  very  similar  to  the  preceding  species, 
but  may  be  distinguished  from  it  by  the  ruddy  hue  of  the  forehead,  the 
fiery  orange  of  the  crest,  and  the  decidedly  yellow  hue  of  the  sides  of 
the  neck.  It  is  an  inhabitant  of  England,  but  is  a  much  rarer  bird  than 
the  Golden-crest.     Owing  to  the  great  resemblance  between  the  two 


Wrens. 


THE  BLACKCAP  WARBLER  AND  THE  NIGHTINGALE.    357 

species,  they  have  often  been  mistaken  for  each  other,  and  it  is  only 
within  a  comparatively  recent  period  that  their  diversity  was  estab- 
lished. 

With  the  exception  of  the  nightingale,  the  Blackcap  Warbler  is 
the  sweetest  and  richest  of  all  the  British  song-birds,  and  in  many 
points  the  voice  of  the  Blackcap  is  even  superior  to  that  of  the  far-famed 
Philomel. 

The  Blackcap  derives  its  name  from  the  tuft  of  dark  feathers  Avhich 
crowns  the  head,  and  which  in  the  males  is  coal  black,  but  in  the  fe- 
males deep  reddish  brown.  It  is  rather  late  in  arriving,  seldom  being 
seen  or  heard  until  the  end  of  April,  and  it  remains  with  us  until  the 
middle  of  September.  As  several  specimens  of  this  pretty  bird  have 
been  noticed  in  England  in  the  months  of  December  and  January,  it  is 
probable  that  some  individuals  may  not  migrate  at  all,  but  remain  in 
this  country  throughout  the  entire  winter.  Should  it  do  so,  it  might 
easily  escape  notice,  as  it  would  not  be  likely  to  sing  much  during  the 
cold  months,  and,  owing  to  its  retiring  habits,  it  is  at  all  times  more 
likely  to  be  heard  than  seen. 

The  food  of  the  Blackcap  consists  chiefly  of  insects,  but  it  also  pays 
attention  to  the  ripe  fruit  in  the  autumn,  being  especially  fond  of  rasp- 
berries. Perhaps  it  may  choose  this  fruit  on  account  of  the  little  white 
maggots  that  are  so  often  found  in  the  centre  of  the  over-ripe  rasp- 
berry. 

The  nest  of  the  Blackcap  is  generally  placed  only  a  foot  or  so  above 
the  ground,  within  the  shelter  of  a  dense  bush  or  tuft  of  rank  herbage, 
and  is  composed  of  vegetable  fibres  and  hairs  rather  loosely  put  to- 
gether. The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  and  are  of  a  pale  reddish 
bTown,  dappled  with  a  deeper  hue  of  brown.  The  general  color  of  the 
Blackcap  is  gray,  with  a  wash  of  dark  green  upon  the  upper  surface 
and  ashen-gray  upon  the  lower  surface.  The  total  length  of  the  bird  is 
not  quite  six  inches,  its  extent  of  wings  nearly  nine  inches,  and  its  weight 
not  quite  half  an  ounce. 

The  well-known  and  far-famed  Nightingale  is,  happily  for  us,  an 
inhabitant  of  England,  visiting  us  about  the  middle  of  April  and  re- 
maining until  the  breeding  season  is  over. 

It  seems  to  be  rather  a  local  bird,  some  parts  of  England  appearing 
to  be  quite  unsuited  to  its  habits.  The  northern  counties  are  seldom 
visited  by  this  bird,  and  in  Ireland  and  Scotland  it  is  almost  unknown. 

The  food  of  the  Nightingale  consists  principally  of  various  insects, 
and  it  is  so  powerfully  attracted  by  the  common  mealworm  that  one  of 
these  creatures  employed  as  a  bait  is  sure  to  attract  the  bird  to  its  de- 
struction. It  appears  to  make  great  havoc  among  the  caterpillars, 
which  come  out  to  feed  at  night,  and  are  to  be  seen  so  abundantly 
on  damp  warm  evenings.     In  the  autumn  it  is  somewhat  of  a  fruit' 


358 


THE  NIGHTINGALE. 


eater,  and  has  been  seen  in  the  act  of  eating  "blackheart"  cherries, 
plucking  them  from  the  tree  and  carrying  them  to  its  young.^  In  captivity 
it  is  best  fed  upon  mealworms,  raw  beef  scraped  with  a  knife  and  given 
very  fresh,  hard-boiled  egg  and  water,  all  mixed  into  a  kind  of  paste. 

As  is  well  known,  the  song  of  the  Nightingale  is  mostly  uttered  after 
sunset,  but  the  bird  may  be  heard  in  full  song  throughout  the  day. 
Toward  the  end  of  June,  when  the  young  birds  are  hatched,  the  song 
changes  into  a  kind  of  rough  croaking  sound,  which  is  uttered  by  way 
of  warning,  and  accompanied  with  a  sharp  snapping  sound  of  the  beak. 

The  time  when  the  Nightingales 
sing  loudest  and  most  constantly 
is  during  the  week  or  two  after 
their  arrival,  for  they  are  then 
engaged  in  attracting  their  mates, 
and  sing  in  fierce  rivalry  of  each 
other,  hoping  to  fascinate  their 
brides  by  the  splendor  of  their 
voices.  When  once  the  bird  has 
procured  a  partner,  he  becomes 
deeply  attached  to  her,  and  if 
he  should  be  captured  soon  pines 
away  and  dies,  full  of  sorrowful 
remembrances.  The  bird-deal- 
ers are  therefore  anxious  to 
catch  the  Nightingale  before 
the  first  week  has  elapsed,  as 
they  can  then,  by  dint  of  care 
and  attention,  preserve  the  bird 
in  full  song  to  a  very  late  period. 
Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  an  instance 
upon  a  hundred  and  fourteen  suc- 


The  Nightingale  {Luscinia  Philomela) 


Nightingale  san^ 


where  a  caged 
cessive  days. 

The  nest  of  the  Nightingale  is  always  placed  upon  or  very  near  the 
ground,  and  is  generally  carefully  hidden  beneath  heavy  foliage.  One 
such  nest  that  I  discovered  in  Wiltshire  was  placed  among  the  knotted 
and  gnarled  roots  of  an  old  ivy-covered  thorn-stump  that  still  main- 
tained its  place  within  a  yard  of  a  footpath.  The  nest  is  made  of  grass 
and  leaves,  and  is  of  exceedingly  slight  construction— so  slight,  indeed, 
that  to  remove  it  without  damage  is  a  very  difhcult  process,  and  requires 
the  careful  use  of  the  hands.  The  eggs  are  generally  four,  but  some- 
times five,  in  number,  and  are  of  a  peculiar  smooth  olive-brown,  which 
distinguishes  them  at  once  from  the  egg  of  any  other  British  bird  of 
the  same  size. 

The  color  of  the  Nightingale  is  a  rich  hair-brown  upon  the  upper 


THE  WHEATEAR  AND  THE  REDSTART.  359 

part  of  the  body  and  grayish  white  below,  the  throat  being  of  a  lighter 
hue  than  the  breast  and  abdomen.  The  entire  length  of  the  bird  rather 
exceeds  six  inches. 

.A  small  but  very  interesting  group  of  birds  now  claims  our  attention. 
These  are  the  Erythaciuse,  or  Redbreast  kind,  including  the  Redbreast, 
the  Wheatear,  and  other  birds. 

The  Wheatear,  or  Fallow  Chat,  is  a  well-known  visitant  of  the 
British  Isles,  and  on  account  of  the  delicate  flavor  of  its  flesh  when 
fat  is  sadly  persecuted  throughout  the  whole  time  of  its  sojourn. 

Being  in  great  favor  for  the  table,  where  it  is  popularly  known  as 
the  English  ortolan,  and  consequently  fetching  a  good  price  in  the 
market,  it  is  caught  in  great  numbers,  and  sold  to  the  game-dealers  of 
London.  The  trap  by  which  it  is  captured  is  a  remarkably  simple 
affair,  consisting  merely  of  an  oblong  piece  of  turf  cut  from  the  soil 
and  arranged  crosswise  over  the  cavity  from  which  it  was  taken.  A 
horsehair  noose  is  supported  under  the  turf  by  means  of  a  stick,  and 
the  trap  is  complete,  needing  no  bait  or  supervision.  It  is  the  nature 
of  the  Wheatear  to  run  under  shelter  at  the  least  alarm,  a  passing 
cloud  sufficing  to  drive  it  under  a  stone  or  into  a 'hole  in  a  bank. 
Seeing,  therefore,  the  sheltering  turf,  the  Wheatear  runs  beneath  it, 
and  is  caught  in  the  noose.  These  simple  traps  are  much  used  by  the 
shepherds,  who  can  make  and  attend  to  four  or  five  hundred  m  a  day, 
and  have  been  known  to  catch  upward  of  a  thousand  Wheatears  within 
twenty-four  hours. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  nest  of  the  W^heatear  is  hidden  in  the  most 
perfect  manner,  the  bird  ordinarily  choosing  to  place  its  domicile  with- 
in the  recesses  of  large  stone  heaps,  in  deep  rocky  crannies,  and  in 
similar  localities;  so  that,  even  if  it  should  be  discovered,  the  work  of 
obtaining  it  is  very  severe.  In  some  parts  of  the  cliff*-bound  seacoast, 
the  Wheatear's  nest  is  so  deeply  buried  in  the  rocky  crevices  that  the 
only  mode  of  obtaining  the  eggs  is  to  hook  out  the  nest  by  means  of  a 
bent  wire  at  the  end  of  a  long  stick. 

The  upper  part  of  the  body  is  light  silver  gray,  and  the  quill 
feathers  of  the  wings,  together  with  their  coverts,  are  deep  black.  The 
middle  tail  feathers  and  the  tips  of  the  various  rectrices  are  of  the  same 
hue,  and  a  black  streak  passes  from  the  edge  of  the  beak  .to  the  ear, 
enveloping  the  eye,  and  spreading  widely  upon  the  ear-cov^erts.  The 
breast  is  buff*,  with  a  decided  orange  tinge,  and  the  abdomen  is  beauti- 
fully white.  The  female  is  not  quite  so  handsome,  the  wings,  tail,  and  ear- 
coverts  being  dark  brown,  and  the  lighter  portions  of  the  body  tinged 
with  brown.    The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  about  six  inches  and  a  half. 

The  specific  title  of  phcenieura,  which  is  given  to  the  Redstart, 
signifies  "  ruddy-tail,"  and  is  attributed  to  the  bird  in  consequence  of 
the  light  ruddy  chestnut  feathers  of  the  tail  and  upper  tail-coverts. 


360 


THE  KEDSTAKT. 


It  is  a  handsomely-colored  and  elegantly-shaped  bird,  and  is  a  great 
ornament  to  our  fields  and  hedgerows.  The  name  of  "Redstart"  is  a 
very  appropriate  one,  and  has  been  given  to  the  bird  in  allusion  to  the 
peculiar  character  of  its  flight.  While  walking  quietly  along  the 
hedgerows,  the  observer  may  often  see  a  bird  flash  suddenly  out  of  the 
leafage,  flirt  its  tail  in  the  air,  displaying  strongly  a  bright  gleam  of 
ruddy  hue,  and  after  a  sharp  dash  of  a  few  yards  turn  into  the  hedge 
again  with  as  much  suddenness  as  it  had  displayed  in  its  exit.  These 
manoeuvres  it  will  fepeat  frequently,  always  keeping  well  in  front,  and 
at  last  it  will  quietly  slip  through  the  hedge,  double  back  on  the  oppo- 
site side,  and  return  to  the  spot  whence  it  had  started. 

No  one  need  fancy,  from  seeing  the  bird  in  the  hedge,  that  its  nest  is 
in  close  proximitv,  for  the  Redstart  seldom  builds  in  such  localities. 


The  Eedstart  {RuticiUa  pfioentcuia). 

haunting  them  only  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  food  for  its  young.  The 
nest  is  almost  invariably  built  in  the  hole  of  an  old  wall,  in  a  crevice 
of  rock,  a  heap  of  large  stones,  in  a  hollow  tree,  or  in  very  thick  ivy. 
The  eggs  are  generally  five  in  number,  although  they  vary  from  four 
to  seven,  and  are  of  a  beautiful  blue,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  green. 
They  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  common  hedge-sparrow,  but  are 
shorter  and  of  a  different  contour. 

The  Redstart  has  a  very  sweet  song,  which,  although  not  very 
powerful,  is  soft  and  melodious,  bearing  some  resemblance  to  that  of 
the  nightingale. 

The  food  of  the  Redstart  is  mostly  of  an  insect  nature,  and  is  obtained 
in  various  ways.  Sometimes  the  bird  dashes  from  its  perch  upon  a 
passing  insect,  after  the  manner  of  the  flycatcher  ;  sometimes  it  chases 
beetles  and  other  creeping  insects  upon  the  leaves  and  branches  of  the 
hedges;  sometimes  it  hunts  for  worms,  grubs,  and  snails  from  the 
ground;  and  it  often  picks  maggots  out  of  fungi,  decaying  wood, 
mosses,  and  lichens.  Soft  ripe  fruit  is  also  eaten  by  the  Redstart,  which, 
-however,  ought  to  be  allowed  its  free  range  of  the'garden  in  recompense 


THE  REDBREAST. 


361 


for  the  great  service  which  it  has  performed  in  the  earlier  portion  of 
the  year  by  devouring  the  myriad  insects  that  feed  upon  the  bk)&soms 
of  fruit-trees.  The  softer  berries  form  part  of  the  Redstart's  diet, 
but  the  bird  does  not  seem  to  care  about  the  hard  seeds. 

There  are  few  birds  which  are  more  familiar  to  us  than  the  Red- 
breast, or  Robin,  a  bird  which  is  interwoven  among  our  earliest  rec- 
ollections through  the  medium  of  The  Children  in  the  Wood  and  the 
mournful   ballad  of  The  Death  and  Burial  of  Cock  Robin. 

Although  the  Redbreast  remains  in  England  throughout  the  winter, 
it  is  very  susceptible  to  cold,  and  one  of  the  first  birds  to  seek  for  shel- 
ter, its  appear- 
ance among  the 
outhouses  being 
always  an  indi- 
cation of  com- 
ing inclemency. 
In  cold  weather 
the  Redbreast 
seldom  perches 
upon  twigs  and 
branches,  but  is 
accustomed  to 
crouch  in  holes 
or  to  sit  upon 
the  ground.  The 
bird  seems  to 
be  strongly  at- 
tached to  man 
and  his  home, 
and  will  follow 
the  ploughman 
over   the    fields  The  Redbreast  {Erythams  ruheadu). 

picking  up  the  worms  which  he  turns  up  with  the  ploughshare,  or  en- 
ter his  house  and  partake  of  his  evening  meal. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  generally  placed  near  the  ground  in  a  thick 
ieafy  bush  or  in  a  bank,  and  is  composed  of  dry  leaves,  moss,  grass, 
hair,  and  feathers.  I  have  seen  the  nest  very  well  concealed  among 
the  thick  ivy  that  had  wreathed  round  a  tree-trunk,  and  placed  about 
eight  feet  from  the  ground.  The  bird  seldom  flics  directly  to  its  nest 
or  leaves  it  directly,  but  alights  at  a  little  distance,  and  creeps  through 
the  leaves  or  branches  until  it  enters  its  home. 

The  eggs  of  the  Redbreast  are  generally  five  in  number,  as  is  the 
case  with  most  of  the  song-birds,  find  their  color  is  grayish  white,  cov- 
ered with  variously-sized  spots  of  pale  rusty  red.  The  song  of  this 
31 


362 


THE  HEDGE   ACCENTOR. 


bird  is  very  sweet  and  pleasing,  and  it  is  a  pretty  sight  to  observe  two 
or  more  Redbreasts  perched  on  different  trees  and  answering  each  other 
with  their  musical  cries.  Whenever  the  Redbreast  perches  on  the  top 
of  a  tree  or  other  elevated  spot  and  begins  to  sing  merrily,  it  is  an  un- 
failing indication  that  the  weather  of  the  coming  day  promises  to  be 
fair.  The  bird  sings  throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  beginning 
early  in  spring  and  continuing  very  late  into  the  autumn.  Even  in  the 
winter  months  a  bright  sunny  day  is  apt  to  excite  the  Robin  to  perch 
upon  a  twig  and  pour  forth  a  sweet  though  broken  melody. 

The  colors  of  the  male  Robin  are  bright  olive-brown  on  the  back 
and  orange-red  on  the  throat,  chin,  breast,  forehead,  and  round  the  eye. 
A  stripe  of  blue-gray  runs  round  the  red,  and  the  abdomen  and  lower 
part  of  the  breast  are  white.  The  bill  and  eyes  are  black.  The  female 
is  colored  after  the  same  manner,  but  the  tints  are  not  so  vivid  as  in 
her  mate.  The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  nearly  six  inches,  and  its 
weight  about  half  an  ounce. 

Of  the  pretty  though  sober-plumaged  Accentors  we  have  one  or  two 
British  examples,  that  which  is  best  known  being  the  Hedge  Accentor, 
or  Hedge  Sparrow,  as  it  is  often,  though  wrongly,  called,  it  by  no  means 
belonging  to  the  same  group  of  birds. 

The  Hedge  Accentor  is  very  common  through  the  whole  of  England, 
and  may  be  heard  in  the  gardens,  copses,  and  hedgerows,  chanting  its 

pleasing  and  plaintive  melody  with- 
out displaying  much  fear  of  its  au- 
ditors. 

It  is  especially  adapted  for  living 
among  hedges,  as  it  possesses  a  sin- 
gular facility  in  threading  its  way 
through  the  twigs,  stems,  and 
branches.  It  seems  equally  at 
home  in  dried  brushwood,  and 
may  often  be  seen  traversing  the 
interior  of  a  woodpile  with  perfect 
ease.  The  nest  is  one  of  the  ear- 
TuL  Hedge  Accentor  or  Sparrow  liest  to  be  built,  and  is  frequently 
{Accentor  modularius).  completed  and  the  eggs  laid  before 

the  genial  warmth  of  spring  has  induced  the  green  leaves  to  burst 
their  enclosures. 

The  nest  is  generally  placed  at  a  very  low  elevation,  seldom  more 
than  two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground,  and  is  rather  large  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  the  bird.  The  materials  of  which  the  structure  is 
made  are  various  mosses,  wool,  and  hair,  and  the  eggs  are  usually  five 
in  number,  of  a  bright  bluish  green  color.  Sometimes,  but  very  rarely, 
six  eggs  are  found  in  a  single  nest. 


THE  GREAT  TITMOUSE.  363 

The  song  of  the  Hedge  Accentor  is  sweet,  but  not  varied  or  power- 
ful, and  has  a  peculiar  plaintive  air  about  it.  The  bird  is  a  persever- 
ing songster,  continuing  to  sing  throughout  a  large  portion  of  the  year, 
and  only  ceasing  during  the  time  of  the  ordinary  moult.  Like  many 
other  warbling  birds,  it  possesses  considerable  powers  of  imitation,  and 
can  mock  with  some  success  the  greater  number  of  British  song-birds. 

The  color  of  the  Hedge  Accentor  is  bluish  gray,  covered  with  small 
brown  streaks  upon  the  head  and  the  back  and  sides  of  the  neck.  The 
back  and  wings  are  brown,  streaked  with  a  deeper  tint  of  the  same  hue, 
and  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail  are  of  a  rather  darker 
brown,  and  not  quite  so  glossy.  The  chin,  throat,  and  upper  part  of 
the  breast  are  gray,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  breast  and  the  abdomen 
are  white  with  a  wash  of  pale  buff.  The  legs  and  toes  are  brown,  with 
a  decided  orange  tinge,  and  the  beak  is  dark  brown.  The  total  length 
of  the  bird  is  nearly  six  inches. 

The  group  of  birds  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Parinse,  or  Tit- 
mice, is  easily  recognizable,  having  all  a  kind  of  fiamily  resemblance 
which  guards  the  observer  from  mistaking  them  for  any  other  bird. 

They  are  all  remarkable  for  their  strong,  stout  little  beaks,  the 
boldly-defined  color  of  their  plumage,  and  the  quick  irregularity  of 
their  movements.  Their  feet  and  claws,  though  slight  and  apparently 
weak,  are  really  extremely  strong,  enabling  the  bird  to  traverse  the 
boughs  with  great  rapidity,  and  to  cling  suspended  from  the  branches. 


The  Great  Titmouse  {Parus  major). 

The  first  example  of  these  birds  is  the  Great  Titmouse,  an  inhab- 
itant uf  England  and  many  parts  of  Europe. 


364  THE  BLUE  TITMOUSE. 

It  does  not  migrate,  finding  a  sufficiency  of  winter  food  in  its  native 
laud.  During  the  summer  it  generally  haunts  the  forests,  gardens,  or 
shrubberies,  and  may  be  seen  hopping  and  running  about  the  branches 
of  tlie  trees  in  a  most  adroit  manner,  searching  for  insects,  and  occa- 
sionally knocking  them  out  of  their  hiding-places  by  sharp  blows  of 
the  bill.  The  beak  of  the  Great  Titmouse  is,  although  so  small,  a  very 
formidable  one,  for  the  creature  has  often  been  known  to  set  upon  the 
smaller  birds  and  kill  them  by  repeated  blows  on  the  head,  afterward 
pulling  the  skull  to  pieces  and  picking  out  the  brains.  During  the 
winter  the  Great  Titmouse  draws  near  to  human  habitations,  and  by 
foraging  among  the  barns  and  outhouses  seldom  fails  in  discovering  an 
ample  supply  of  food. 

The  nest  is  always  made  in  some  convenient  hollow,  generally  that 
of  a  tree,  but  often  in  the  holes  of  old  walls  and  in  the  cavities  that  are 
formed  by  thick  gnarled  roots  in  the  sides  of  a  bank.  Hollow  trees, 
however,  are  the  favorite  nesting-places  of  this  bird,  which  is  able  to 
shape  the  hollow  to  its  liking  by  chiselling  away  th3  decaying  wood  with 
its  sharp,  strong  beak.  The  materials  of  which  the  nest  is  made  vary 
according  to  the  locality.  There  are  generally  from  eight  to  twelve 
eggs  in  each  nest,  and  their  color  is  whitish  gray,  covered  with  mottlings 
of  a  rusty  red,  which  are  thickly  gathered  toward  the  larger  end. 

The  coloring  of  this  species  is  very  bold,  and  is  briefly  as  follows: 
The  top  of  the  head  and  the  throat,  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  neck, 
together  with  a  rather  broad  streak  down  the  centre  of  the  chest  and 
abdomen,  are  rich  purple-black,  relieved  by  a  spot  of  pure  white  on  the 
nape  of  the  neck,  and  a  large  flask-shaped  patch  under  each  eye.  The 
back  and  shoulders  are  ashy  green  ;  the  greater  wing-coverts  are  blue- 
black,  each  feather  being  tipped  with  white,  so  as  to  form  a  bar  across 
the  wings.  The  quill  feathers  are  dark  green-gray,  the  primaries  being 
edged  with  grayish  white.  The  tail-feathers  are  the  same  green-gray, 
except  that  the  extreme  feathers  are  white  on  their  outer  ends.  The 
under  parts  are  light  sulphurous  yellow,  and  the  under  tail-coverts  are 
white.     The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  not  quite  six  inches. 

The  little  Blue  Titmouse  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  birds  of  Eng- 
land, as  it  is  widelv  spread  throughout  the  land,  and  is  of  so  bold  a 
nature  that  it  exhibits  itself  fearlessly  to  any  observer.  In  many  of 
its  habits  it  resembles  the  last-mentioned  species,  but  it  nevertheless 
possesses  a  very  marked  character,  and  has  peculiarities  which  are  all 
its  own.  As  it  trips  glancingly  over  the  branches  it  hardly  looks  like 
a  bird,  for  its  quick  limbs  and  strong  claws  carry  it  over  the  twigs  with 
such  rapidity  that  it  resembles  a  blue  mouse  rather  than  one  of  the  feath- 
ered tribe.  ^  Being  almost  exclusively  an  insect-eating  bird,  and  a  most 
voracious  little  creature,  it  renders  invaluable  service  to  the  agricultur- 
ist and  the  gardener  by  discovering  and  destroying  the  insects  which 


THE  LONG-TAILED  TITMOUSE. 


305 


crowd  upon  the  trees  and  plants  in  the  early  days  of  spring,  and  which, 
if  not  removed,  would  effectually  injure  a  very  large  proportion  of  the 
fruit  and  produce. 

The  nest  of  this  species  may  be  found  in  the  most  extraordinary 
localities,  such  as  hollow  trees,  holes  in  old  walls,  the 'interior  of  dis- 
used spouts,  sides  of  gravel-pits,  the  hat  of  a  scarecrow,  the  inside  of  a 
porcelain  jar,  or  the  cylinder  of  a  pump.  One  bird  had  actually  chosen 
a  beehive  as  its  residence,  and  had  succeeded  in  building  its  nest  and 

rearing  its  young  while  sur- 
rounded by  the  bees  going 
to  and  returning  from  their 
work.  Another  Titmouse  con- 
trived to  get  into  a  weather- 
cock on  the  summit  of  a  spire, 
and  there  made  its  nest  in 
security.  The  eggs  are  small 
and  rather  numerous,  being 
generally  about  eight  or  ten, 
but  sometimes  exceeding  the 
latter  number. 

The     Long-tailed     Tit- 
mouse   is    familiarly   known 
throughout   England,  and    is 
designated  under  different  ti- 
tles, according  to  the  locality 
in  which  it  resides,  some  of 
its  popular  names   being  de- 
rived   from    its    shape     and 
others    from    its    ci'est.       In 
The  Blue  Titmouse  {Pams  coendeuH).       some  parts  of  the  country  it 
is  called  "  Long  Tom,"  while  in  others  it  goes  by  the  name  of  "  Bottle- 
crested   Tit "  or  "  Poke-Pudding,"  the  latter  word   being  a  provincial 
rendering  of  the  useful  culinary  apparatus  termed  a  pudding-bag. 

This  pretty  little  bird  is  a  notable  frequenter  of  trees,  hedgerows,  and 
orchards,  and  is  remarkable  for  its  sociable  habits,  being  generally  seen 
in  little  troops  of  six  or  eight  in  number.  It  appears  that  the  young 
birds  always  remain  with  their  parents  throughout  the  whole  of  the  first 
year,  so  that  when  the  brood  happens  to  be  a  large  one,  as  many  as  six- 
teen Long-tailed  Titmice  may  be  seen  hopping  and  skipping  about  to- 
gether. 

So  far  as  is  known,  the  Long-tailed  Titmouse  feeds  exclusively  on  in- 
sects, and  on  account  of  its  microscopical  eyes  is  able  to  see  and  to  catch 
the  very  minutest.  The  service  which  is  rendered  to  agriculture  by 
even  a  single  nest  of  these  birds  is  almost  invaluable,  for  at  all  sea- 

31* 


366  WAGTAILS. 

ions  of  the  year  they  continue  to  obtain  their  food,  catching  the  perfect 
insect  in  the  summer,  and  feeding  on  the  eggs,  hidden  larvae,  and  chrys- 
alides in  winter. 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  undoubtedly  the  most  wonderful  example 
of  bird-architecture  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  British  Islands,  and  is  not 
exceeded  in  beauty  by  the  home  of  any  bird  whatever.  In  form  it  some- 
what resembles  an  egg,  and  is  built  of  moss,  hair,  a  very  little  wool,  the 
cocoon  webs  of  spiders,  and  the  silken  hammocks  of  certain  caterpillars, 
all  woven  into  each  other  in  the  most  admirable  manner.  The  exterior 
of  the  nest  is  spangled  with  silvery  lichens,  which  generally  correspond 
ip  color  with  the  bark  of  the  tree  on  which  it  is  placed,  and  serve  to 
render  it  as  little  conspicuous  as  possible.  The  interior  of  the  nest  is 
Vv'onderfully  soft  and  warm,  being  literally  crammed  with  downy 
feathers  to  such  an  extent  that  the  eggs  are  deeply  buried  in  the 
feathery  bed,  and  cannot  be  counted  until  the  whole  lining  of  the  nest 
is  removed.  The  nest  is  generally  placed  rather  near  the  ground, 
and  is  so  well  concealed  that  it  is  not  easily  seen  except  by  experienced 
eyes. 

The  number  of  eggs  which  this  little  bird  lays  is  really  surprising. 
Very  seldom  does  it  content  itself  with  eight,  and  double  that  number 
has  been  frequently  counted  in  a  single  nest.  In  consequence,  the  young 
birds  are  packed  like  so  many  herrings  in  a  barrel,  and  the  ingenuity 
which  must  be  exerted  by  the  parent  birds  in  giving  each  little  one  its 
food  in  proper  rotation  must  be  very  great  indeed. 

The  coloring  of  this  species  is  as  follows  :  The  upper  part  of  the  head, 
the  cheeks,  the  throat,  and  the  whole  of  the  under  surface  are  grayish 
white,  warming  into  a  rosy  hue  upon  the  sides,  flanks,  and  under  tail- 
coverts.  A  broad  stripe  of  deep  black  passes  over  the  eye  and  the 
ear-coverts,  and  joins  a  large  triangular  patch  of  the  same  jetty  hue, 
which  extends  from  the  shoulders  as  far  as  the  upper  tail-coverts.*  The 
slioulders,  the  scapularies,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  back  are  washed 
with  a  decided  tinge  of  a  ruddy  hue.  The  wings  are  mostly  black, 
with  the  exception  of  the  tertiary  quill  feathers,  which  are  edged  with 
white.  The  long  central  feathers  of  the  tail  are  black,  and  the  remain- 
der are  black  on  the  inner  webs  and  white  on  the  outer.  They  are 
regularly  graduated  in  length,  each  pair  being  about  half  an  inch 
shorter  than  the  preceding  pair.  Both  sexes  are  similar  in  their 
coloring.  The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  about  five  and  a  half 
inches. 

WAGTAILS. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  small  group  of  birds  which  is  sufficiently  familiar 
to  every  observer  of  nature  through  the  different  representatives  which 
mhabit  this  country.    The  Wagtails— so  called  from  their  well-known 


THE   PIED  WAGTAIL. 


367 


habit  of  jerking  their  tails  while  running  on  the  ground  or  on  settling 
immediately  after  a  flight — are  found  in  both  hemispheres,  and  are  all 
well  known  by  the  habit  from  which  they  derive  their  popular  title. 
No  less  than  nine  species  of  this  group  occur  in  Britain,  some  of  which 
are  nearly  as  well  known  as  the  common  sparrow,  while  others  are  less 
familiar  to  the  casual  observer. 

The  Pied  Wagtail  is  the  most  common  of  all  the  British  examples 
of  this  genus,  and  may  be  seen  at  the  proper  season  of  the  year  near 


The  Pied  Wagtail  {Motacilla  Yarrellii). 

almost  every  pond  or  brook,  or  even  in  the  open  road,  tripping  daintily 
over  the  ground,  pecking  away  at  the  insects,  and  wagging  its  tail  with 
hearty  good-will. 

Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  that  this  bird  is  an  accomplished  fisher,  and 
excels  in  snapping  up  the  smaller  minnows  and  fry  as  they  come  to 
the  surface  of  the  water.  It  also  haunts  the  fields  where  sheep,  horses, 
or  horned  cattle  are  kept,  and  hovers  confidingly  close  to  their  hoofs, 
pecking  away  briskly  at  the  little  insects  which  are  disturbed  by  their 
tread.  It  also  delights  in  newly-mown  lawns,  and  runs  over  the 
smooth  surface  with  great  agility,  peering  between  the  grass-blades  in 
search  of  the  insects  which  may  be  lying  concealed  in  their  green 
shelter.  The  flight  of  the  Pied  Wagtail  is  short  and  jerking,  the  bird 
rising  and  falling  in  a  very  peculiar  manner  with  every  stroke  of  the 
wings. 

The  Pied  Wagtail  remains  in  England  throughout  the  year,  but 
generally  retires  to  the  southern  counties  during  the  winter,  as  it  would 
otherwise  be  unable  to  obtain  its  food. 


36S  THE  MEADOW   PIPIT. 

The  nest  of  the  Wagtail  is  generally  placed  at  no  great  distance  from 
water,  and  is  ahvavs  built  in  some  retired  situation.  Holes  in  walls, 
the  hollows  of  aged  trees,  or  niches  in  old  gravel-pits  are  favorite 
localities  with  this  bird.  Heaps  of  large  stones  are  also  in  great  favor 
with  the  Wagtail,  and  I  have  generally  found  that  wherever  a  pile  of 
rough  stones  has  remained  for  some  time  in  the  vicinity  of  water,  a 
Wagtail's  nest  is  almost  invariably  somewhere  within  it.  I  have 
also  found  the  nest  in  heaps  of  dry  brushwood  piled  up  for  the  purpose 
of  l)eing  cut  into  fiigots.  In  every  case  the  nest  is  placed  at  a  consid- 
erable depth.  The  eggs  are  generally  four  or  five  in  number,  and  their 
color  is  gray-white,  speckled  with  a  great  number  of  very  small  brown 
spots. 

The  colorinsr  of  the  Pied  Wao^tail  is  almost  entirely  black  and  white, 
verv  boldly  disposed,  and  distributed  as  follows :  The  top  of  the  head, 
the  nape  of  the  neck,  part  of  the  shoulders,  the  chin,  neck,  and  throat, 
are  jetty  black,  contrasting  boldly  with  the  pure  snowy  w^hite  of  the 
sides  of 'the  face  and  the  white  patch  on  the  sides  of  the  neck.  The 
upper  tail-coverts  and  the  coverts  of  the  wings  are  also  black.  The 
quill  feathers  of  the  wings  are  black,  edged  on  the  outer  web  with  a 
lighter  hue.  The  two  exterior  feathers  of  the  tail  are  pure  white, 
eilged  on  the  inner  web  with  white,  and  the  remainder  jetty  black. 
The  under  parts  of  the  body  are  grayish  white,  taking  a  blue  tint  upon 
the  flanks.  The  entire  length  of  the  bird  is  between  seven  and  eight 
inch&s.  This  is  the  summer  plumage  of  the  male  bird.  In  the  winter 
the  chin  and  throat  exchange  their  jetty  hue  for  a  pure  white,  leaving 
only  a  collar  of  black  round  the  throat.  The  female  much  resembles 
her  mate  in  the  general  coloring  of  her  plumage,  but  is  about  half  an 
inch  shorter. 

The  Pipits— or  Titlarks  as  they  are  sometimes  called — form  a 
well-marked  group,  which  possesses  the  long  hind  toe  of  the  hawk, 
together  with  very  similar  plumage,  and  also  bears  the  long  tail 
which  is  found  in  the  wagtails.  Several  species  of  Pipit  inhabit 
P^nghind. 

The  best  known  is  the  common  Meadow  Pipit,  or  Meadow  Titling, 
a  bird  which  may  be  seen  throughout  the  year  upon  moors,  waste-lands, 
and  marshy  ground,  changing  its  locality  according  to  the  season  of 
year.  It  is  a  pretty  though  rather  sombre  little  bird,  and  is  quick  and 
active  in  its  movements,  often  jerking  its  long  tail  in  a  fashion  that 
reminds  the  observer  of  the  wagtail's  habits.  It  moves  with  consider- 
al)le  celerity,  tripping  over  the  rough  and  rocky  ground  which  it 
frequents,  and  picking  up  insects  with  the  stroke  of  its  unerring  beak. 
Its  food,  however,  is  of  a  mixed  description,  as  in  the  crops  of  several 
individuals  were  found  seeds,  insects,  and  water-shells,  some  of  the  latter 
being  entire. 


THE  DIPPER. 


369 


The  nest  of  this  species  is  placed  on  the  ground,  and  is  generally- 
hidden  in  a  large  grass-tuft. 


The  Meadow  Pipit  {Anthns  prafensis). 

The  very  large  family  of  the  Thrushes  now  engages  our  attention. 
Many  of  these  birds  are  renowned  for  their  song,  and  some  of  them 
are  remarkable  for  their  imitative  powers. 

The  Ant  Thrushes  find  an  English  representative  in  the  well-known 
Dipper,  or  Water  Ousel,  of  our  river-banks. 

Possessing  neither  brilliant  plumage  nor  graceful  shape,  it  is  yet  one  of 
the  most  interesting  of  British  birds  when  watched  in  its  favorite  haunts. 
It  always  frequents  rapid  streams  and  channels,  and,  being  a  very  shy 
and  retiring  bird,  invariably  prefers  those  spots  where  the  banks  over- 
hang the  water  and  are  clothed  with  thick  brushwood.  Should  the  bed 
of  the  stream  be  broken  up  with  rocks  or  large  stones,  and  the  fall  be 
sufficiently  sharp  to  wear  away  an  occasional  pool,  the  Dipper  is  all  the 
better  pleased  with  its  home,  and  may  generally  be  found  in  such  a 
locality  by  a  patient  observer. 

All  the  movements  of  this  little  bird  are  quick,  jerking,  and  wren- 
like— a  similitude  which  is  enhanced  by  its  habit  of  continually  flirt- 
ing its  apology  for  a  tail.  Caring  nothing  for  the  frosts  of  winter  so 
long  as  the  water  remains  free  from  ice,  the  Dipper  may  be  seen 
throughout  the  winter  months  flitting  from  stone  to  stone  with  the 
most  animated  gestures,  occasionally  stopping  to  pick  up  some  morsel 
of  food,  and  ever  and  anon  taking  to  the  water,  where  it  sometimes 
dives  entirely  out  of  sight,  and  at  others  merely  walks  into  the  shallows 
and  there  flaps  about  with  great  rapidity. 

The  food  of  the  Dipper  seems  to  be  exclusively  of  an  animal  cha- 


370 


THE  DIPPER. 


The  Dipper  [Hydrobates  cinclus). 


racter,  and  \n  the  various  specimens  which  have  been  examined  consists 
of  insects  in  their  different  stages,  small  Crustacea,  and  the  spawn  and 
fry  of  various  fishes.  Its  fish-eating  propensities  have  been  questioned 
by  some  writers,  but  the  matter  has  been  set  entirely  at  rest  by  the  dis- 
covery of  fish-bones  and  half-digested  fish  in  the  stomachs  of  Dippers 
that  had  been  shot.  Generally,  however,  the  food  consists  of  water- 
beetles,  particularly  of  the  genus  known  by  the  name  of  Hydrophilus, 

a  flat,  oval -shaped  insect  with 
hard  wing-cases  and  oar-like 
hind  legs.  The  bird  has  also 
been  known  to  pick  up  the 
caddis-worms,  taking  them  on 
shore,  pulling  and  knocking 
to  pieces  the  tough  case  in 
Nvhich  the  fat  white  grub  is 
enveloped,  and  swallowing  the 
contents. 

The  song  of  the  Dipper  is  a 
lively  and  cheerful  perform- 
ance, and  is  uttered  most  frequently  in  the  bright  frosty  mornings. 
Sometimes  it  will  stand  upon  a  stone  when  singing,  and  accompany 
its  song  with  the  oddest  imaginable  gestures,  hopping  and  skipping 
about,  twisting  its  head  in  all  directions,  and  acting  as  if  it  were 
performing  for  the  amusement  of  the  spectator. 

The  nest  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  wren,  being  composed  chiefly  of 
mosses  built  into  a  dome-like  shape  with  a  single  aperture  in  the  side. 
It  is  generally  placed  near  the  water,  and  always  under  some  sort  of 
cover,  usually  a  hole  in  the  bank. 

The  nest  is  not,  however,  always  so  close  to  the  water,  for  I  found 
one  near  Swindon  in  the  side  of  an  old  disused  pit,  at  some  little  dis- 
tance from  the  great  Swindon  reservoir.  It  was  discovered  more  by 
accident  than  by  intention,  the  touch  having  given  the  first  intimation 
of  its  presence.  The  moss  always  remains  in  a  green  state,  as  it  is  placed 
in  a  damp  locality,  so  that  it  can  with  great  difficulty  be  distinguished 
from  the  vegetation  of  the  spot  whereon  it  is  situated. 

The  eggs  are  pure  white,  and  rather  long  in  proportion  to  their 
breadth.  Their  full  number  is  five,  and  the  young  remain  with 
their  parents  for  a  considerable  period,  forming  little  companies  of 
five  or  six  of  these  curious  birds. 

The  general  color  of  this  bird  is  brown  on  the  upper  surface  of  the 
body;  the  throat  and  upper  parts  of  the  chest  are  white,  and  the  ab- 
domen is  rusty  red.  The  young  birds  possess  a  rather  variegated 
plumage  of  black,  brown,  ash-color,  and  white.  The  total  length 
of  the  adult  bird  is  about  seven  inches. 


THE  MOCKING  BIRD.  371 

The  Mocking  'Bird  of  America  is  universally  allowed  to  be  the 
most  wonderful  of  all  songsters,  as  it  not  only  possesses  a  very  fine 
and  melodious  voice,  but  is  also  endowed  with  the  capacity  for  imitat- 
ing the  notes  of  any  other  bird,  and,  indeed,  of  immediately  reprodu- 
cing with  the  most  astonishing  exactness  any  sound  which  it  may  hear. 

All  persons  who  come  within  the  sound  of  the  Mocking  Bird's  voice  are 
fascinated  with  the  thrilling  strains  that  are  poured  without  effort  from 
the  melodious  throat,  and  every  professed 
ornithologist  who  has  heard  this  wonder- 
ful bird  has  exhausted  the  powers  of  his 
language  in  endeavoring  to  describe  the 
varied  and  entrancing  melody  of  the 
Mocking  Bird.  Within  the  compass  of 
one  single  throat  the  whole  feathered 
race  seems  to  be  comprised,  for  the 
Mocking  Bird  can  with  equal  ease  im- 
itate, or  rather  reproduce,  the  sweet 
and  gentle  twittering  of  the  blue-bird, 
the  rich  full  song  of  the  thrush,  or  the 
harsh,  ear-piercing  scream  of  the  eagle. 

Let  it  but   approach    the   habitation     '^"^  Mocking^Bird  {Mimus 
of  man,  and  it  straightway  adds  a  new  ^ 

series  of  sounds  to  its  already  vast  store,  laying  up  in  its  most  re- 
tentive memory  the  various  noises  that  are  produced  by  man  and  his 
surroundings,  and  introducing  among  its  other  imitations  the  barking 
of  dogs,  the  harsh  "  setting  "  of  saws,  the  whirring  buzz  of  the  millstone, 
the  everlasting  clack  of  the  hoppers,  the  dull  heavy  blow  of  the  mallet, 
and  the  cracking  of  splitting  timbers,  the  fragments  of  songs  whistled 
by  the  laborers,  the  creaking  of  ungreased  wheels,  the  neighing  of 
horses,  the  plaintive  "  baa  "  of  the  sheep,  and  the  deep  lowing  of  the 
oxen,  together  with  all  the  innumerable  and  accidental  sounds  which 
are  necessarily  produced  through  human  means.  Unfortunately, 
the  bird  is  rather  apt  to  spoil  his  own  wonderful  song  by  a  sudden  in- 
troduction of  one  of  these  inharmonious  sounds,  so  that  the  listener, 
whose  ear  is  being  delighted  with  a  succession  of  the  softest  and  richest- 
toned  vocalisms,  will  suddenly  be  electrified  with  the  loud  shriek  of  the 
angry  hawk  or  the  grating  whir  of  the  grindstone. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  usually  placed  in  some  thick  bush,  and  is  in 
general  very  carefully  concealed.  Sometimes,  however,  when  the  bird 
builds  in  localities  where  it  knows  that  it  will  be  protected  from  human 
interference,  it  is  quite  indifferent  about  the  concealment  of  its  home, 
and  trusts  to  its  own  prowess  for  the  defence  of  its  mate  and  young. 
The  nest  is  always  placed  at  a  short  distance  from  the  ground,  being 
seldom  seen  at  an  elevation  of  more  than  ei^rht  feet. 


^72 


THE  MISSEL  THRUSH. 


The  materials  of  which  the  nest  is  composed  are  generally  dried 
weeds  aud  very  slender  twigs  as  a  foundation  ;  straw,  hay,  wool,  dried 
leaves,  and  moss  as  the  main  wall ;  and  fine  vegetable  fibres  as  the 
linino".  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  and  there  are  often  two 
broods  in  the  course  of  the  year.  The  color  of  the  eggs  is  greenish 
blue  spotted  with  amber-brown. 

The  first  example  of  the  true  Thrushes  is  the  Missel  Thrush,  one  of 
tlie  largest  and  handsomest  of  the  species. 

It  is  one  of  our  resident  birds,  and  on  account  of  its  great  size,  its 
cojnbative  nature,  its  brightly-feathered  breast,  its  rich  voice  and  gre- 
^^^„_  garious   habits,  is  one  of 

i^  ^"?  -"'^  ^^^^    ^^^^    known    of    tbe 

^'-^^•^  British  birds.     About  the 

beginning  of  April  the 
Missel  Thrush  sets  about 
its  nest,  and  in  general 
builds  a  large  weighty 
edifice  that  can  be  seen 
through  the  leafless 
bushes  from  a  great  dis- 
tance. 

The  materials  of  which 
the  nest  is  composed  are 
the  most  heterogeneous 
that  can  be  imagined. 
Every  substance  that  can  be  woven  into  a  nest  is  pressed  into  the  ser- 
vice. Moss,  hay,  straw,  dead  leaves,  and  grasses  are  among  the  ruling 
substances  that  are  employed  for  the  purpose,  and  the  bird  often  adds 
inanufiictured  products,  such  as  scraps  of  rag,  paper,  or  shavings.  I 
once  found  one  of  these  nests  that  was  ingeniously  placed  in  the  crown 
of  an  old  hat  which  had  evidently  been  flung  into  the  tree  by  some 
traveller.  At  first  it  hardly  looked  like  a  nest,  but  there  were  a  few 
bits  of  grass  lying  over  the  brim  that  had  a  very  suspicious  aspect, 
»iid  on  climbing  the  tree  the  old  hat  was  proved  to  have  been  made 
the  basis  of  a  warm  nest,  with  the  proper  complement  of  eggs. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  summer  the  Missel  Thrushes  assemble  in  flocks 
of  considerable  size,  and  in  the  autumn  often  do  great  harm  to  gardens 
and  plantations  by  devouring  the  fruit.  They  are  particularly  fond  of 
ra8p])erries  and  cherries,  and  have  been  known  to  entirely  ruin  the  crop 
of  these  fruits.  They  are  also  fond  of  the  berries  of  the  mountain-ash 
and  the  arbutus,  and  are  so  partial  to  the  viscid  berries  of  the  mistletoe 
plant  that  they  have  been  called  by  its  name.  Insects  of  various  kinds, 
caterpillars,  and  spiders  also  form  part  of  the  Missel  Thrush's  diet,  and  a 
partly-digested  lizard  has  been  found  in  the  interior  of  one  of  these  birds. 


The  Missel  Thrush  (Turdus  viscivorus). 


THE  FIELDFARE  AND  THE  BLACKBIRD.  373 

Til e  song  of  the  Missel  Thrush  is  rich,  loud,  clear,  and  ringing,  and 
is  often  uttered  during  the  stormiest  period  of  the  year,  the  bird  seem- 
ing to  prefer  the  roughest  and  most  inclement  weather  for  the  exercise 
of  its  voice. 

Another  large  example  of  the  British  Thrushes  is  found  in  the 
Fieldfare. 

This  bird  is  one  of  the  migratory  species,  making  only  a  winter  visit 
to  this  country,  and  often  meeting  a  very  inhospitable  reception  from 
the  gun  of  the  winter  sportsboy.  Very  seldom  is  it  seen  in  this  coun- 
try till  November,  and  is  often  absent  until  the  cold  month  of  Decem- 
ber, when  it  makes  its  appearance  in  great  flocks,  searching  eagerly  for 
food  over  the  fields.  When  the  snow  lies  heavily  upon  the  fields,  this 
bird  betakes  itself  to  the  hedgerows  and  outskirts  of  woods  and  copses, 
and  there  feeds  on  the  various  berries  that  have  survived  the  autumn. 
During  this  inclement  season  the  Fieldfare  may  be  approached  and  shot 
without  much  difficulty.  Its  shyness,  however,  depends  greatly  on  the 
amount  of  persecution  which  it  has  sustained. 

In  its  color  the  Fieldfjire  bears  a  decided  resemblance  to  the  gener- 
ality of  the  Thrushes.  The  upper  parts  of  the  body  as  far  as  the  shoul- 
ders are  ashen  gray,  dotted  with  dark-brown  spots  upon  the  head ;  the 
back  and  wings  are  rich  brown,  and  the  tail  is  dark  blackish  brown. 
The  chin  and  throat  are  a  peculiar  golden  hue,  not  unlike  amber,  and 
covered  with  numerous  black  streaks  ;  the  breast  is  reddish  brown,  also 
spotted  with  black,  and  the  abdomen  and  under  parts  are  white,  spotted 
on  the  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts  with  brown  of  various  shades.  The 
Fieldfare  is  not  quite  so 
large  a  bird  as  the  Missel 
Thrush,  being  about  ten 
inches  in  total  length. 

Among  the  best-known 
and  best-loved  of  our 
British  songsters,  the 
Blackbird  is  one  of  the 
most  conspicuous. 

This  well-known  bird 
derives  its  popular  name 
from  the  uniformly  black 
hue  of  its  plumage,  which 

is    relieved     only    by    the  T he  ' B^IcKBrnj,  {Turdus  memla). 

bright  orange-colored   bill 

of  the  male  bird.  The  song  of  this  creature  is  remarkable  for  its  full 
mellowness  of  note,  and  is  ever  a  welcome  sound  to  the  lover  of  Nature 
and  her  vocal  and  visual  harmonies. 

The  Blackbird  feeds  usually  on  insects,  but  it  also  possesses  a  great 

32 


374 


THE  SONG  THRUSH. 


Jove  of  fruit,  and  in  the  autumn  ravages  the  gardens  and  orchards  in  a 
most  destructive  manner,  picking  out  all  the  best  and  ripest  fruit,  and 
wisely  leaving  the  still  iramatured  produce  to  ripen  on  the  branches. 

The  nest  o^f  this  bird  is  made  very  early  in  the  spring,  and  is  always 
carefully  placed  in  the  centre  of  some  thick  bush,  a  spreading  holly  tree 
being  a  very  favorite  locality.  It  is  a  large,  rough,  but  carefully-con- 
structed habitation,  being  made  externally  of  grass-stems  and  roots, 
plastered  on  the  interior  with  a  rather  thick  lining  of  coarse  mud, 
which,  when  thoroughly  dried,  forms  a  kind  of  rude  earthenware  cup. 
A  lining  of  fine  grass  is  placed  within  the  earthen  cup,  and  upon  this 
lininiT  the  five  eggs  are  laid.  These  eggs  are  of  a  light  grayish  blue 
ground-color,  splashed,  spotted,  and  freckled  over  their  entire  surface 
with  brown  of  various  shades  and  intensity.  The  coloring  of  these 
eggs  is  extremely  variable,  even  those  of  a  single  nest  being  very  dif- 
ferent in  their  appearance. 

The  Blackbird  is  very  courageous  in  defence  of  its  nest,  and  will 
attack  almost  any  animal  that  threatens  the  security  of  its  home.  On 
one  occasion  a  prowling  cat  was  forced  to  retreat  ignominiously  from 
the  united  assaults  of  two  Blackbirds  near  whose  domicile  she  had  ven- 
tured. 

The  well-known  Song  Thrush — or  Throstle,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called — bears  a  deservedly  high  rank   among  our  British   birds  of 


It  is  plentifully  found  in  most  parts  of  England,  and  favors  us  with 
its  vocal  efforts  throughout  a  considerable  portion  of  the  year.     The 

song  of  the  Thrush  is  peculiarly 
rich,  mellow,  and  sustained,  and 
is  remarkable  for  the  full  purity 
of  its  intonation  and  the  variety 
of  its  notes.  The  Thrush  begins 
to  sing  as  soon  as  incubation  com- 
mences, and  continues  its  song  from 
the  beginning  of  the  spring  until 
the  middle  of  autumn.  In  many 
cases  the  bird  sings  to  a  very  late 
period  of  the  year,  and  has  been 
heard  in  the  months  of  November 
and  December. 

The  food  of  the  Thrush  is  mostly 
of  an  animal  character,  and  consists 
largely  of  worms,  snails,  slugs,  and 
similar  creatures.  In  eating  snails 
in  its  bill,  battering  them  against 
stone   until   the  shells  are  entirely  crushed,  and   then  swallowing 


UK  Song  Thrush  {Tardus  musicus). 
it  is  very  dexterous,  Ukm^  them 


THE  GOLDEN  ORIOLE. 


375 


the  enclosed  mollusc.  When  a  Thrush  has  found  a  stone  that  suits 
his  purpose  peculiarly  well,  he  brings  all  his  snails  to  the  spot,  and 
leaves  quite  a  large  heap  of  empty  snail-shells  under  the  stone.  One 
of  the  best  examples  that  I  have  ever  seen  was  a  large  squared  boulder- 
stone,  forming  part  of  a  rustic  stile  in  Wiltshire.  There  was  a  large 
pile  of  shells  immediately  under  the  stone,  and  the  ground  was  strewed 
for  some  distance  with  the  crushed  fragments,  that  had  evidently  been 
trodden  upon  and  carried  away  by  the  feet  of  passengers. 

The  Thrush  does  not,  however,  confine  itself  wholly  to  this  kind  of 
diet,  but  in  the  autumn  months  feeds  largely  on  berries  and  different 
fruits,  being  very  fond  of  cherries,  and  often 
working  great  havoc  in  an  orchard  or  fruit- 
garden.  But,  in  spite  of  its  occasional  in- 
roads upon  the  gardens,  it  deserves  the  grat- 
itude of  the  agriculturist  on  account  of  its 
service  in  destroying  the  snails  and  other 
garden  pests,  and  may  well  be  allowed  to 
take  its  autumnal  toll  of  a  few  of  the  fruits 
of  which  it  has  been  such  an  efficient  pre- 
server. 

The  nest  of  the  Thrush  is  rather  large, 
and  is  shaped  like  a  basin.  The  shell  of 
the  nest  is  composed  of  roots  and  mosses, 
inside  which  is  worked  a  rather  thin  but 
wonderfully  compact  layer  of  cow-dung 
and  decayed  wood,  so  strongly  kneaded 
that  when  dry  it  will  hold  water  almost 
as  well  as  an  earthenware  vessel.  There 
are  usually  five  eggs,  of  a  beautiful  blue 
spotted  with  black.  The  spots  are  small, 
round,  and  well  marked,  and  are  extremely  variable  in  size  and 
number;    they   are   always   gathered  toward    the  larger   end  of  the 

egg. 

The  Golden  Oeiole  is  an  extremely  rare  visitant  of  this  country, 
having  been  but  seldom  observed  within  our  coasts,  but  is  far  from  un- 
common in  many  parts  of  the  Continent,  especially  the  more  southern 
portions  of  Europe,  such  as  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  and  South- 
ern Italy. 

It  derives  its  name  from  the  bright  golden  yellow  with  which  the 
feathers  of  the  adult  male  bird  are  lai^gely  tinged ;  but  as  the  full 
glory  of  its  plumage  is  not  displayed  until  the  bird  has  entered  its 
third  year,  it  is  possible  that  many  specimens  may  have  visited  this 
country  and  again  departed  without  having  attracted  particular  atten- 
tion. 


The  Song  Thrush  ( Tardus 
musictts). 


376 


THE  SP.OTTED  FLYCATCHER. 


It  is  rather  gregarious  in  its  habits,  generally  associating  in  little 
fl(jcks,  and  frequenting  lofty  trees  and  orchards,  where  it  can  obtain 
abundance  of  food. 

The  nest  of  tl) is  bird  is  a  very  elegantly-formed  and  well-constructed 
edifice,  of  a  shallow  cup-like  shape,  and  usually  placed  in  a  horizontal 

fork  of  a  convenient  branch. 
The  materials  of  which  it  is 
made  are  mostly  delicate 
grass-stems,  interwoven  with 
wool  so  firmly  that  the  whole 
structure  is  strong  and  warm. 
The  eggs  are  generally  four 
or  five  in  number,  and  their 
color  is  purplish  white,  spar- 
ingly marked  with  blotches  of 
a  deep  red  and  ashen  gray.  It 
is  believed  that  there  is  but 
one  brood  in  the  year,  so  that 
the  species  does  not  multiply 
very  rapidly.  Sometimes  the 
bird  is  said  to  build  a  deep 
and  purse-like  nest,  which  is 
suspended  from  a  forked 
branch  instead  of  being 
placed  upon  it. 

The   interesting    family    of 
The  Orchard  Oriole.  Flycatchers  is  composed  of 

1.  Female.     2,  3.  Males  of  the  second  and  third  »  large  number  of  spCcicS,  CX- 

years.    4.  Male  in  complete  plumage,    a.  Egg  of  tremelv  Variable  in  size,  form, 

the  Orchard  Oriole.    6.  Egg  of  the  Baltimore  Oriole.        j         i  rrn  j- 

and  color.  I  he  average  di- 
mensions of  these  birds  are  about  equal  to  those  of  a  large  sparrow, 
and  many  are  smaller  than  that  bird,  although  two  or  three  species 
nearly  ecjual  the  thrush  in  size. 

Tl»e  Spotted  Flycatcher  has  received  several  local  names  in  al- 
lusion to  its  habits,  the  titles  Wall  Bird  and  Beam  Bird  being  those 
by  which  it  is  most  frequently  designated.  It  is  one  of  the  migrating 
birds,  arriving  in  this  country  at  a  rather  late  season,  being  seldom  seen 
before  the  middle,  or  even  toward  the  end,  of  May. 

This  bird  is  fond  of  haunting  parks,  gardens,  meadows,  and  shrub- 
beries, always  choosing  those  spots  where  flies  are  most  common^  and 
attaching  itself  to  the  same  perch  for  many  days  in  succession.  When 
the  Flycatcher  inhabits  any  place  where  it  has  been  accustomed  to  live 
undisturbed,  it  is  a  remarkably  trustful  bird,  and  permits  the  near  ap 
proach  of  man,  even  availing  itself  of  his  assistance. 


THE  FLYCATCHERS. 


377 


The  Spotted  Flycatcher  builds  a  very  neatly-made  nest,  and  is  in  the 
habit  of  fixing  his  home  in  the  most  curious  and  unsuspected  localities. 
The  hinge  of  a  door  has  on  more  than  one  occasion  been  selected  for 
the  purpose,  and  in  one  instance  the  nest  had  retained  its  position  al- 
though the  door  was  repeatedly  opened  and  closed,  until  a  more  severe 
shock  than  ordinary  shook  the  eggs  out  of  the  nest  and  broke  them. 
It  is  fond  of  selecting  some  human  habitation  for  the  locality  in  which 
to  build  its  nest,  and  its  titles  of  Beam  Bird  and  Wall  Bird  have  been 
given  to  it  because  it  is  in  the  habit  of  making  its  home  on  beams  or 
in  the  holes  of  walls.  The 
branches  of  a  pear,  apri- 
cot, vine,  or  honeysuckle 
are  favorite  resorts  of  the 
Spotted  Flycatcher  when 
the  tree  has  been  trained 
against  a  wall. 

The  nest  is  generally 
round  and  cup-shaped, 
and  is  made  of  fine 
grasses,  moss,  roots,  hair, 
and  feathers,  the  harder 
materials  forming  the 
walls  of  the  nest,  and 
the  softer  being  employed 
as  lining. 

The  eggs  of  the  Spotted 
Flycatcher  are  four  or  five 
in  number,  and  their  color 
is  a  very  pale  bluish  white, 
spotted  with  ruddy  speck- 
L'S.  As  the  nest  is  made 
at  so  late  a  period  of  the 
vear,   beiupf    but   just   be-     ,    rr       .  t,,      ,  i        or.     w.     .  j  v,      x  v, 

'  '^  1.11  ^-  Tvrant  Flvcatcher.     2.  Great  Crested  Flycatcher, 

gun  when  some  birds  have  3.  Small  Green-crested  Flycatcher.  4.  Pewit  Fly- 
hatched    their    first    brood,  catcher.     6.  Wood  Pewit  Flycatcher. 

there  is  often  not  more  than  a  single  family  in  the  course  of  the  sea- 
son. Sometimes,  however,  it  has  been  known  to  hatch  and  rear  a 
second  brood  in  safety. 

The  general  color  of  the  Spotted  Flycatcher  is  a  delicate  brown  on 
the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail 
being,  as  is  usually  the  case,  of  a  blacker  hue  than  the  feathers  of  the 
back.  There  are  a  few  dark  spots  on  the  top  of  the  head,  and  the 
terti^l  feathers  of  the  wings  are  edged  with  light  brown.  The  breast 
is  white,  with  a  patch  of  very  light  dull  brown  across  its  upper  portion, 
32* 


The  Flycatchers. 


378      THE  PIED  FLYCATCHER  AND  THE  WAXEN  CHATTERER. 


and  both  the  chin  and  breast  are  marked  with  dark  brown  longitudinal 

streaks. 

The  other  species  of  British  Flycatchers  is  much  more  rare  than 
the  bird  just  described,  and  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  it  by  the 
peculiarity  of  plumage  from  which  it  derives  its  popular  title.  The 
Pied  Flycatcher  has  been  observed  in  most  parts  of  England,  but 
seems  to  be  of  very  rare  occurrence,  except  in  the  counties  of  Cumber- 
land and  Westmoreland,  where  it  is  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lakes. 
The  coloring  of  this  bird  is  as  follows:  In  the  adult  male  the  top  of 
the  head,  back  of  the  neck,  back,  and  wings  are  dark  blackish  brown, 
with  the  exception  of  a  white  patch  upon  the  forehead,  and  a  broad 
stripe  of  white  on  the  tertiary  and  greater  wing-coverts.  The  tail  is 
black,  except  some  bold  white  marks  on  some  of  the  outer  feathers, 
and  the  whole  of  the  under  surface  is  pure  white.  The  female  is  of  a 
delicate  brown  on  the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  and  those  portions 
which  in  the  male  are  pure  white  are  in  the  female  of  a  dull  whitish 
gray.  In  dimensions  the  bird  is  not  equal  to  the  Spotted  Flycatcher, 
barely  exceeding  five  inches  in  total  length. 

A  small  but  interesting  group  of  birds  has  been  designated  by  the 
name  of  Ampelinse,  or  Chatterers,  in  allusion  to  the  loquacity  for 
which  some  of  the  species  are  remarkable.  They  all  have  a  wide 
mouth,  opening  nearly  as  far  as  the  eyes,  but  without  the  bristly  ap- 
pendages which  so  often  accompany  a  large  extent  of  gape. 

One  well-known  species,  the  Waxen 
Chatterer,  is  a  tolerably  frequent 
visitor  of  England,  though  it  cannot 
be  reckoned  among  the  common  Brit- 
ish birds.  It  is  also  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Bohemian  Chatterer, 
the  latter  name  being  singularly  in- 
^v    ^iBfe^^^  appropriate,   as    the    bird    is    quite    as 

^^^^m^M^^'^  ^'^^'^  ^^  Bohemia  as  in  England. 

It  is  a  very  gregarious  bird,  assera- 
i)ling  in  very  large  flocks,  and  con- 
gregating so  closely  too^ether  that  great 
numbers  have  been  killed  at  a  single 
discharge  of  a  gun. 

The  lonjr,  flat,  scarlet  appendages  to 


:>-M: 


Thr  Bohemian  Waxwinq  or 
Waxen  Chatterer  {Ampelis 
garrula). 


the  wings  are  usuallv  confined  to  the 


secondaries  and  tertiaries,  at  whose  ex- 
tremities they  dangle  as  if  they  had 
been  formed  separately  and  fastened  to  the  feathers  as  an  after- thought. 
Indeed  they  so  precisely  resemble  red  sealing-wax  that  anv  one  on  see- 
ing the  bird  for  the  first  time  would  probably  suppose  that  a  trick  had 


THE  SHKIKES.  379 

been  played  upon  him  by  some  one  who  desired  to  tax  his  credulity  to 
a  very  great  extent. 

It  only  comes  to  this  country  in  the  winter  mouths,  although  there 
has  been  an  example  of  its  appearance  as  early  as  August. 

In  its  plumage  the  Bohemian  AYaxwing  is  a  very  pretty  and  striking 
bird,  being  as  notable  for  the  silken  softness  of  its  feathers  as  for  its 
pleasingly  blended  colors  and  the  remarkable  appendage  from  which 
it  derives  its  popular  name.  The  coloring  of  the  bird  is  very  varied, 
but  may  briefly  be  described  as  follows  :  The  top  of  the  head  and  the 
crest  are  a  light  soft  brown,  warming  into  ruddy  chestnut  on  the  fore- 
head. A  well-defined  band  of  black  passes  over  the  upper  base  of  the 
beak,  and  runs  round  the  back  of  the  head,  developing  the  eyes  on 
each  side,  and  there  is  a  patch  of  the  same  jetty  hue  on  the  chin.  The 
general  color  of  the  bird  is  gray-brown  ;  the  primary  and  secondary 
feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail  are  black  tipped  with  yellow,  the  primary 
wing-coverts  are  tipped  with  white,  and  the  tertiaries  are  purplish 
brown,  also  tipped  with  white.  The  under  surface  of  the  bird  is  sober 
gray,  and  the  under  tail-coverts  are  rich  ruddy  brown.  The  length 
of  the  Waxen  Chatterer  is  about  eight  inches. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  family  of  Lanidse,  or  Shrikes,  or  Butcher 
Birds,  whose  character  is  given  in  the  names  by  which  they  are  dis- 
tinguished. The  scientific 
term  Lanidoe  is  of  Latin 
origin,  and  is  derived  from 
a  word  which  signifies  "  la- 
cerating "  or  *'  tearing,"  in  al- 
lusion to  the  habits  of  the 
bird.  These  birds  are  found 
in  all  parts  of  the  globe,  and 
in  all  countries  are  celebrated  The  Great  American  Shrike,  or  Butcher 
for  their  sanguinary  and  sav-  Bird. 

age  character.  They  are  quite  as  rapacious  as  any  of  the  hawk  tribe, 
and,  in  proportion  to  their  size,  are  much  more  destructive  and  blood- 
thirsty. They  feed  upon  small  and  disabled  mammalia  and  birds  of 
various  kinds,  especially  preferring  them  while  young  and  still  un- 
fledged, and  upon  several  kinds  of  reptiles,  and  also  find  great  part 
of  their  subsistence  among  the  members  of  the  insect  world. 

In  order  to  fit  them  for  these  rapacious  pursuits,  the  bill  is  strong, 
rather  elongated,  sharp-edged,  curved  at  the  tip,  and  armed  on  each 
side  with  a  well-marked  tooth.  The  wings  are  powerful,  the  plumage 
closely  set,  and  the  claws  strong,  curved,  and  sharp.  The  Shrikes  are 
separated  for  convenience  of  reference  into  two  groups  or  sub-families, 
namely,  the  true  Shrikes,  or  Lauinse,  and  the  Bush  Shrikes,  or  Tham- 
nophiliuai. 


380  THE  RED-BACKED  SHRIKE. 

The  Red-Backed  Shrike  is  a  summer  visitant  to  this  country,  and 
is  tolerably  common.  Its  winter  quarters  seem  to  be  situated  in  Africa, 
and  it  reaches  us  at  the  end  of  April  or  the  beginning  of  May,  passing 
through  Italy  on  its  passage. 

During  the  time  of  its  residence  it  may  often  be  seen  flitting  about 
the  tops  of  hedges  and  small  trees,  evidently  in  search  of  its  prey,  and 

may  be  recognized  even  at  a  considerable 
distance  by  its  habit  of  wagging  its  tail  up 
and  down  whenever  it  settles,  in  a  man- 
ner very  similar  to  that  of  the  wagtails. 
Usually  it  is  seen  in  pairs,  but  when  the 
eggs  are  laid,  the  male  bird  is  generally 
engaged  in  procuring  food,  while  the 
mother  bird  stays  at  home  and  attends 
to  her  domestic  affairs. 

The  food  of  the  Red-Backed  Shrike 

"^^x^  T^^^^„.,^.^  o   r.r..^      consists  chiefly  of  the  larger  insects,  such 
The  Loggertiead  Shrike.  .  *'     .       ,  -,    -,     n  i 

as  grasshoppers,  beetles,  and  chaiers,  and 

it  is  in  the  habit  of  impaling  them  on  the  thorns  near  its  nest,  prob- 
ably to  save  the  mother  bird  the  trouble  of  going  to  look  for  her 
own  meals. 

The  nest  of  this  Shrike  is  situated  in  hedges  or  bushes,  generally 
from  five  to  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  the  average  elevation  being 
about  seven  feet.  It  is  large,  rather  clumsy,  and  very  easily  seen 
through  the  foliage,  being  made  of  thick  grass-stems,  moss,  and  roots 
on  the  exterior,  and  lined  with  very  fine  grasses  and  hair.  In  some 
places  the  nests  are  quite  common,  and  I  have  found  three  in  a  hedge 
surrounding  a  single  field  of  no  very  great  extent.  The  eggs  are 
generally  five  in  number,  and  are  rather  variable  in  coloring,  their 
ground-color  being  always  white,  tinged  in  some  cases  with  blue,  in 
others  with  green,  and  in  a  few  specimens  with  rusty  red.  The  spots 
with  which  they  are  marked  are  quite  as  variable,  sometimes  being 
numerous,  dark,  and  gathered  into  a  ring  at  the  large  end  of  the  egg, 
and  sometimes  only  gray  and  light  brown,  scattered  irregularly.  In 
all  cases,  however,  they  are  gathered  upon  the  large  end  of  the  egg. 

In  the  adult  male  the  head,  neck,  and  upper  parts  of  the  shoulders 
are  pearly  gray,  with  a  black  stripe  across  the  base  of  the  beak  and  run- 
ning through  the  eye.  The  back  and  wing-coverts  are  ruddy  chestnut, 
fading  into  reddish  gray  upon  the  upper  tail-coverts.  The  quill  feath- 
ers of  the  wings  are  black,  edged  with  red  upon  their  outer  webs,  and 
the  quill  feathers  of  the  tail  are  white  at  the  basal  half,  and  the  remain- 
der of  each  feather  is  black  tipped  with  a  very  narrow  line  of  white. 
The  chin  and  under  tail-coverts  are  white,  and  the  rest  of  the  under  sur- 
face is  pale  rusty  red.     The  strongly-notched  and  hooked  beak  is  deep 


THE  JAY.  381 

shiuing  black.  The  female  bird  may  be  at  once  known  by  the  absence 
of  the  black  streak  across  the  eye,  which  in  her  case  is  replaced  by  a 
light-colored  stripe  over  the  eye.  The  head  and  all  the  upper  parts  of  the 
body  are  reddish  brown,  and  the  red  edges  of  the  wing  feathers  are  nar- 
rower than  in  the  male.  The  under  side  of  the  body  is  wholly  grayish 
white,  covered  with  very  numerous  transverse  lines  of  a  darker  hue. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  very  large  and  important  group,  called,  from  the 
shape  of  their  beaks,  the  Conirostres,  or  Cone-billed  Birds.  In  these 
birds  the  bill  varies  in  length  and  development,  in  some  being  exceed- 
ingly short,  while  in  others  it  is  much  elongated ;  in  some  being  straight 
and  simple,  while  in  others  it  is  curiously  curved  and  furnished  with 
singular  appendages  ;  in  some  being  toothless,  while  in  others  there  is  a 
small  but  perceptible  tooth  near  the  tip.  In  all,  however,  the  bill 
is  more  or  less  conical  in  form,  being  very  thick  and  rounded  at 
the  base,  and  diminishing  to  a  point  at  the  extremity.  There  are  no 
less  than  eight  recognized  families,  of  this  large  group,  containing 
some  of  the  most  important  and  most  remarkable  members  of  the 
feathered   race. 

The  first  femily  is  that  which  is  well  known  under  the  title  of  Cor- 
vidse,  or  Crows,  containing  the  crows,  rooks,  mag})ies,  starlings,  and 
other  familiar  birds,  together  with  the  equally-celebrated  bower  birds 
and  less  known  paradise  birds,  troopials,  and  orioles.  The  beak  of  all 
these  birds  is  long,  powerful,  and  somewhat  compressed — i.  e.,  flattened 
at  the  sides — curved  more  or  less  on  the  ridge  of  the  upper  mandible, 
and  with  a  notch  at  the  extremity. 

The  best  known  of  the  Garruline  or  talkative  birds  is  our  common 
English  Jay,  one  of  the  handsomest  of  our  resident  birds. 

The  ordinary  note  of  the  Jay  is  a  rathei*  soft  cry,  but  the  bird  is  a 
most  adroit  imitator  of  various  sounds,  particularly  those  of  a  harsh 
character.  It  has  one  especially  harsh  scream,  which  is  its  note  of 
alarm,  and  serves  to  set  on  the  alert  not  only  its  own  kind,  but  every 
other  bird  that  happens  to  be  within  hearing.  The  sportsman  is  often 
baffled  in  his  endeavors  to  get  a  shot  at  his  game  by  the  mingled  curi- 
osity and  timidity  of  the  Jay,  which  cannot  hear  a  strange  rustling  or 
see  an  unaccustomed  object  without  sneaking  silently  up  to  inspect  it, 
and  is  so  terribly  frightened  at  the  sight  of  a  man,  a  dog,  and  a  gun 
that  it  dashes  off  in  alarm,  uttering  its  loud  "squawk,"  which  indicates 
to  every  bird  and  beast  that  danger  is  abroad. 

The  Jay,  like  all  the  Crow  tribe,  will  eat  animal  or  vegetable  sub- 
stances with  equal  zest,  and  wnll  plunder  the  hoards  of  small  quadrupeds 
or  swallow  the  owner  with  perfect  impartiality.  Young  birds  are  a 
favorite  food  of  the  Jay,  which  is  wonderfully  clever  at  discovering 
nests  and  devouring  the  fledgelings.  Occasionally  it  feeds  even  upon 
birds,  and  has  been  seen  to  catch  a  full-grown  thrush.     Eggs  are  also 


382 


THE  JAY. 


great  dainties  with  this  bird,  particularly  those  of  pheasants  and  par- 
tridges, so  that  it  is  ranked  among  the  "  vermin  "  by  all  gamekeepers 
or  owners  of  preserves.  So  fond  is  it  of  eggs  that  it  can  almost  invari- 
ably be  enticed  into  a  trap  by  means  of  an  egg  or  two  placed  as  bait; 

and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  the 
Jay  does  not  seem  to  be  aware  of 
the  right  season  for  eggs,  and  sus- 
pects no  guile  even  when  it  finds 
a  nest  full  of  fine  eggs  in  the 
depth  of  winter. 

It  also  eats  caterpillars,  moths, 
beetles,  and  various  similar  in- 
sects, preferring  the  soft,  fat,  and 
full-bodied  species  to  those  of  a 
more  slender  shape.  Fruits  and 
berries  form  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  autumnal  food  of  this 
bird,  and  it  occasionally  makes 
great  havoc  in  the  cherry-orch- 
ards, slipping  in  quietly  at  the 
early  dawn,  accompanied  by  its 
mate  and  young  family,  and  strip- 
ping the  branches  of  the  bark  and 
finest  fruit.  The  kitchen-garden 
also  suffers  severely  from  the  attacks  of  the  Jay,  which  has  a  great 
liking  for  young  peas  and  beans.  It  also  eats  chestnuts,  nuts,  and 
acorns,  being  so  fond  of  the  last-mentioned  fruit  as  to  have  received 
the  title  of  glandarlus,  meaning  "  a  lover  of  acorns.'"  Sometimes  it 
becomes  more  refined  in  its  taste,  and  eats  the  flower  of  several  cru- 
ciferous plants,  which,  according  to  Mudie,  it  plucks  slowly  and  care- 
fully, petal  by  petal. 

The  nest  of  the  Jay  is  a  flattish  kind  of  edifice,  constructed  of  sticks, 
grass,  and  roots,  the  sticks  acting  as  the  foundations,  and  a  rude  super- 
structure of  the  softer  substances  being  placed  upon  them.  It  is  always 
situated  at  a  considerable  elevation  from  the  ground.  There  are  gen- 
erally four  or  five  eggs,  and  the  bird  mostly  brings  up  two  broods  in  the 
year. 

In  size  the  Jay  equals  a  rather  large  pigeon,  and  the  coloring  of 
its  plumage  is  very  attractive.  The  general  tint  of  the  upper  part 
of  the  body  is  light  reddish  brown,  with  a  perceptible  purple  tinge, 
varying  in  intensity  in  difierent  specimens.  The  primary  wing-coverts 
are  bright  azure  banded  with  jetty  black,  and  form  a  most  conspicuous 
ornament  on  the  sides  as  the  bird  sits  with  closed  wings.  The  head 
is  decorated  with  a  crest,  which  can  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure. 


The  Blue  Jay  {Corvus  cristatnii). 


THE  RAVEN. 


383 


and  the  feathers  of  which  it  is  composed  are  whitish  gray  spotted  with 
l)lack. 

The  true  Crows  are  known  by  their  beaks,  which  have  no  tooth  in 
the  upper  naandible,  and  by  their  wings,  which  are  tolerably  long  and 
ample.  There  are  very  many  species  spread  over  the  world,  and  they 
are  well  represented  in  our  own  country. 

The  first  of  these  birds  on  our  list  is  the  celebrated  Raven,  our  finest 
representative  of  the  family. 

This  truly  handsome  bird  is  spread  over  almost  all  portions  of  tlie 
habitable  globe,  finding  a  livelihood  wherever  there  are  wide  expanses 
of  uncultivated  ground,  and 
being  driven  from  its  home 
only  by  the  advance  of  cul- 
tivation and  the  consequent 
inhabitance  of  the  soil  by  hu- 
man beings.  It  is  a  solitary 
bird,  living  in  the  wildest 
district  that  it  can  find,  and 
especially  preferring  those 
that  are  intersected  with 
hills.  In  such  localities 
the  Raven  reigns  supreme, 
hardly  the  eagle  himself 
daring  to  contest  the  suprem- 
acy with  so  powerful,  crafty, 
and  strong-beaked  a  bird. 

The  food  of  the  Raven  is 
almost  entirely  of  an  animal 
nature,  and  there  are  few 
living  things  which  it  will  not  eat  whenever  it  finds  an  opportunity 
of  so  doing.  Worms,  grubs,  caterpillars,  and  insects  of  all  kinds 
are  swallowed  by  hundreds,  but  the  diet  in  which  it  most  delights  is 
dead  carrion.  In  consequence  of  this  taste  the  Raven  may  be  found 
rather  plentifully  on  the  Scottish  sheep-feeding  grounds,  where  the 
flocks  are  of  such  immense  size  that  the  bird  is  sure  to  find  a  suffi- 
ciency of  food  among  the  daily  dead;  for  its  wings  are  large  and 
powerful,  and  its  daily  range  of  flight  is  so  great  that  many  thou- 
sands of  sheep  pass  daily  under  its  ken,  and  it  is  tolerably  sure  in  the 
course  of  the  day  to  find  at  least  one  dead  sheep  or  lamb.  Sometimes 
the  Raven  accelerates  matters ;  for  if  it  should  find  an  unfortunate 
sheep  lying  in  a  ditch — a  misfortune  to  which  these  animals  are  espe- 
cially prone — it  is  sure  to  cause  the  speedy  death  of  the  poor  creature 
by  repeated  attacks  upon  its  eyes.  Weakly  or  ailing  sheep  are  also 
favorite  subjects  with  the  Raven,  who  soon  puts  an  end  to  their  sufl?er- 


TuE  Raven  {Corvus  Corax). 


384 


THE  CARRION  CROW. 


ings  by  the  strokes  of  his  long  and  powerful  beak.  Even  the  larger 
cattle  are  not  free  from  the  assaults  of  this  voracious  bird,  which  per- 
forms in  every  case  the  office  of  a  vulture. 

The  cunning  of  the  Raven  is  proverbial,  and  anecdotes  of  its  extra- 
ordinary intellectual  powers  abound  in  various  works. 

The  Raven  is  an  excellent  linguist,  acquiring  the  art  of  conversation 
with  wonderful  rapidity,  and  retaining  with  a  singularly  powerful 
memory  many  sounds  which  it  has  once  learned.  Whole  sentences 
are  acquired  by  this  strange  bird,  and  repeated  with  great  accuracy 
of  intonation,  the  voice  being  a  good  imitation  of  human  speech,  but 
always  sounding  as  if  spoken  from  behind  a  thick  woollen  wrapper. 
The  Raven  is  celebrated  for  its  longevity,  many  instances  being 
known  where  it  has  attained  the  age  of  seventy  or  eighty  years  with- 
out losing  one  jot  of  its  activity  or  the  fading  of  one  spark  from  its 
eyes.  What  may  be  the  duration  of  a  Raven's  life  in  its  wild  state  is 
quite  unknown. 

The  color  of  the  Raven  is  a  uniform  blue-black,  with  green  reflections 
in  certain  lights.     The  female  is  always  larger  than  her  mate. 

The  common  Carrion  Crow,  so  plentiful  in  this  country,  much  re- 
sembles in  habits  and  appearance  the  bird  which  has  just  been  described. 

and  may  almost  be  reck- 
oned as  a  miniature  raven. 
In  many  of  its  customs  the 
Crow  is  very  raven-like, 
especially  in  its  love  for 
carrion  and  its  propensity 
for  attacking  the  eyes  of 
any  dead  or  dying  ani- 
mal. Like  the  Raven,  it 
has  been  known  to  attack 
game  of  various  kinds, 
although  its  inferior  size 
forces  it  to  call  to  its  as- 
sistance the  aid  of  one  or  more  of  its  fellows  before  it  can  successfully 
cope  with  the  larger  creatures.  Rabbits  and  hares  are  frequently  the 
prey  of  this  bird,  which  pounces  on  them  as  they  steal  abroad  to 
feed,  and  is  able  to  kill  and  carry  them  off  without  difficulty  while 
they  are  young.  The  Crow  also  eats  reptiles  of  various  sorts,  frogs 
and  lizards  being  common  dainties,  and  is  a  confirmed  plunderer  of 
other  birds'  nests,  even  carrying  away  the  eggs  of  game  and  poultry 
by  the  simple  device  of  driving  the  beak  through  them  and  flying 
away  with  them  when  thus  impaled.  Even  the  large  egg  of  the 
duck  has  thus  been  stolen  by  the  Crow.  Sometimes  it  goes  to  feed 
on   the  sea-shore,  and  there  finds  plenty   of   food   among  the  crabs, 


The  Crow  (Corviis  Corone). 


THE   ROOK. 


385 


shrimps,  and  shells  that  are  found  near  low-water  mark,  and  inge- 
niously cracks  the  harder-shelled  creatures  by  flying  with  them  to  a 
great  height  and  letting  them  fall  upon  a  convenient  rock. 

The  nest  of  the  Crow  is  invariably  placed  in  some  tree  remote  from 
the  habitations  of  other  birds,  and  is  a  structure  of  considerable  dimen- 
sions and  very  conspicuous  at  a  distance.  It  is  always  fixed  on  one  of 
the  topmost  branches,  so  that  to  obtain  the  eggs  safely  requires  a  steady 
head,  a  practised  foot,  and  a  ready  hand. 

The  materials  of  which  the  Crow's  nest  is  made  are  very  various,  but 
always  consist  of  a  foundation  of  sticks,  upon  which  the  softer  substances 
are  laid.  The  interior  of  the  nest  is  made  of  grasses,  fibrous  roots,  the 
hair  of  cows  and  horses — which  the  Crow  mostly  obtains  from  trees  and 
posts  where  the  cattle  are  in  the  habit  of  rubbing  themselves — mosses, 
and  wool. 

The  color  of  the  Crow  is  a  uniform  blue-black,  like  that  of  the  Raven, 
but  varieties  are  known  in  which  the  feathers  have  been  pied,  or  even 
cream-white. 

The  most  familiar  of  all  the  British  Corvidse  is  the  common  Rook,  a 
bird  which  has  attached  itself  to  the  habitations  of  mankind,  and  in 
course  of  time  has  partially  domesticated  itself  in  his  dominions. 

The  habits  of  the  Rook 
are  very  interesting  and 
easily  watched.  Its  ex- 
treme caution  is  very  re- 
markable, when  combined 
with  its  attachment  to  hu- 
man homes.  A  colony  of 
a  thousand  birds  may  form 
a  rookery  in  a  park,  pla- 
cing themselves  under  the 
protection  of  its  owner, 
and  yet  if  they  see  a  man 
with  a  gun,  or  even  with 
a  suspicious-looking  stick, 
they    fly    oflP    their     nests  The  Rook  {Corvas /mgilegm). 

with  astounding  clamor,  and  will  not  return  until  the  cause  of  their 
alarm  is  dissipated.  During  the  "  rook-shooting"  time  all  the  strong- 
winged  birds  leave  their  nests  at  the  first  report  of  the  gun,  and, 
rising  to  an  enormous  elevation,  sail  about  like  so  many  black  midges 
over  their  deserted  homes,  and  pour  out  their  complaints  in  loud  and 
doleful  cries,  which  are  plainly  audible  from  even  the  great  height  at 
which  they  are  soaring. 

The  nest  of  the  Rook  is  large  and  rather  clumsily  built,  consisting 
chieflv  of  sticks,  upon  which  are  laid  sundry  softer  materials  as  a  rest- 
*     33  "  Z  * 


386 


THE  JACKDAW. 


iug-place  for  the  eggs.  The  Rook  is  a  very  gregarious  bird,  buildiug 
in  numbers  on  the  boughs  of  contiguous  trees,  and  having  a  kind  of 
social  compact  that  often  rises  into  the  dignity  of  law.  For  exam- 
ple, the  elder  Rooks  will  not  permit  the  younger  members  of  the  com- 
munity to  build  their  nests  upon  an  isolated  tree  at  a  distance  from 
the  general  assemblage,  and  if  they  attempt  to  infringe  this  reg- 
ulation always  attack  the  offending  nest  in  a  body  and  tear  it  to 
pieces. 

The  number  of  birds  which  are  to  be  found  in  such  rookeries  is 
enormously  great,  several  thousands  having  been  counted  in  a  single 
assemblage.  In  such  cases  they  do  great  damage  to  the  upper  branches 
of  the  trees,  and  in  some  instances  have  been  known  to  kill  the  tree 
by  the  continual  destruction  of  the  growing  boughs. 

The  color  of  the  Rook  is  a  glossy,  deep  blue-black,  the  blue  being 
more  conspicuous  on  the  wing-coverts  and  the  sides  of  the  head  and 

neck.  The  length 
of  an  adult  Rook 
is  about  eighteen 
or  nineteen  inches. 
The  smallest  of 
the  British  Cor- 
vidse  is  the  well- 
known  Jackdaw, 
a  bird  of  infinite 
wit  and  humor, 
and  one  that  has 
an  extraordinary 
attachment  for 
man  and  his  hab- 
itations. 

Tiie  Jackdaw 
may  easily  be  dis- 
tinguished from 
either  the  rook  or 
the  crow  by  the 
gray  patch  upon 
.p„^  J  ^,  the  crown  of  the 

IHE  Jackdaw  parvus  .uonedala).  ^ead  and  back  of 

t lie  neck,  ^yhlch  is  very  conspicuous  and  can  be  seen  at  a  considerable 
dis  ance.  Ihe  voice,  too,  is  entirely  different  from  the  caw  of  the  rook 
or  the  hoarse  cry  of  the  crow;  and,  as  the  bird  is  very  loquacious,  it 
soon  announces  itself  by  the  tone  of  its  voice.  It  generally  takes  up 
Its  home  near  houses,  and  is  fond  of  nesting  in  old  buildings,  especially 
preferring  the  steeples  aud  towers  of  churches  and  similar  edifices,  where 


THE  ROYSTON   CROW. 


387 


its  nest  aud  young  are  safe  from  the  depredations  of  stoats,  weasels,  and 
other  destroyers. 

The  gray  patch  on  the  head  and  neck  is  not  seen  until  the  bird  at' 
tains  maturity,  the  feathers  being  of  the  same  black  hue  as  on  the  re- 
mainder of  the  body  until  the  first  moult,  when  the  juvenile  plumage 
is  shed  and  the  adult  garments  assumed. 

The  nest  of  the  Jackdaw  is  a  very  rude  structure  of  sticks,  lined,  or 
rather  covered,  with  hay,  wool,  feathers,  and  all  kinds  of  miscellaneous 
substances  of  a  warm  kind  for  the  eggs  and  young.  It  is  placed  in 
various  localities,  generally  in  buildings  or  rocks,  but  has  often  been 
found  in  hollow  trees,  and  even  in  the  holes  of  rabbit-warrens,  the  last- 
mentioned  locality  being  a  very  remarkable  one,  as  the  young  birds 
must  be  in  constant  danger  of  marauding  stoats  and  weasels.  In  one 
instance  a  quantity  of  broken  glass  was  employed  in  the  foundation 
of  the  nest.  The  Jackdaw  is  not  choice  in  the  selection  of  feath- 
ered neighbors,  for  I  have  found  in  the  same  tower  the  nests,  of 
pigeons,  jackdaws,  and  starlings  in  amicable  proximity  to  each 
other.  The  eggs  are  smaller  and  much  paler  than  those  of  the 
rook  or  crow,  but  have  a  similar  general  aspect.  Their  number  is 
about  five. 

The  RoYSTON  Crow,  or  Hooded  Crow,  or  Gray  Crow,  is  a  very 
conspicuous    bird,    on    ac- 
count of  the  curiously  pied 
plumage  with  which  it  is 
invested. 

This  bird  is  not  very 
common  in  England,  but 
is  found  plentifully  in  Ire- 
land, Scotland,  and  the 
Scottish  Isles,  having  been 
seen  in  large  flocks  of  sev- 
eral hundreds  in  number 
on  the  east  coast  of  Jura. 
Generally  it  is  not  very 
gregarious,  the  male  and 
female   only   being    found  The  Royston  ok  Hooded  Crow  {Corvus  comix) 

in  company,  but  it  sometimes  chooses  to  associate  in  little  flocks  of 
fifteen  or  sixteen  in  number.  It  seems  to  prefer  the  seacoast  to  any 
inland  locality,  as  it  there  finds  a  great  variety  of  food  and  is  not  much 
exposed  to  danger.  I  have  often  seen  these  birds  in  the  Bay  of  Dublin, 
perched  upon  the  rocks  at  low  water,  and  searching  for  food  among  the 
dank  seaweed  and  in  the  rock-puddles  that  are  left  by  the  retreating 
tide.  They  seemed  always  extremely  bold,  and  would  permit  a  very 
close  approach  without  exhibiting  any  alarm.     The  banks  of  the  Med- 


388 


THE  MAGPIE. 


way  between  Rochester  and  Sheerness  are  much  frequented   by  the 
Hooded  Crow. 

The  Hooded  Crow  never  breeds  in  society,  but  always  builds  its  nest 
at  some  distance  from  the  home  of  any  other  of  the  same  species,  so 
that,  although  a  forest  or  a  range  of  cliffs  may  be  inhabited  by  these 
birds,  the  nests  are  scattered  very  sparingly  over  the  whole  extent. 
The  structure  of  the  nest  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  crows 
and  rooks,  being  a  mass  of  sticks  and  heather-stalks  as  a  foundation, 
upon  which  is  placed  a  layer  of  wool,  hair,  and  other  soft  substances. 
Sometimes  the  bird  builds  a  better  and  more  compact  nest  with  the 
bark  of  trees,  and  in  all  cases  this  species  breeds  very  early  in  the 
season. 

The  Hooded  Crow  is  boldly  and  conspicuously  pied  with  gray  and 
black,  distributed  as  follows:  The  head,  back  of  the  neck,  and  the 
throat,  together  with  the  wings  and  tail,  are  a  glossy  bluish  black, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  body  is  a  peculiar  gray  with  a  slight  black- 
ish wash. 

Who  does  not  know  the  Magpie,  the  pert,  the  gay,  the  mischievous? 
What  denizen  of  the  country  is  not  familiar  with  his  many  exploits  in 

the  way  of  barefaced  and  audacious  theft, 
his  dipping  flight,  and  his  ingenuity  in  baf- 
fling the  devices  of  the  fowler  and  the  gun- 
ner  ?  What  inhabitant  of  the  town  has  not 
seen  him  cooped  in  his  wicker  dwelling,  dul\ 
and  begrimed  with  the  daily  smoke,  but  yet 
})ert  as  ever,  talkative,  and  a  wonderful  ad- 
mirer of  his  dingy  plumage  and  ragged  tail? 
The  food  of  the  Magpie  is  as  multifarious 
as  that  of  the  crow  or  raven,  and  consists  of 
various  animal  and  vegetable  substances. 
It  is  a  determined  robber  of  other  birds' 
nests,  dragging  the  unfledged  young  out  of 
their  honies,  or  driving  its  bill  through  their 
eggs,  and  thus  carrying  them  away. 

The  nest  of  the  Magpie  is  a  rather  com- 
plicated edifice,  domed,  with  an  entrance  at 
the  side,  and  mostly  formed  at  the  juncture 
of  three  branches,  so  as  to  aflbrd  an  effectual  protection  against  any  foe 
who  endeavors  to  force  admittance  into  so  strong  a  fortress.  Generally 
the  nest  is  placed  at  the  very  summit  of  some  lofty  tree,  the  bird  usually 
preferring  those  trees  which  run  for  many  feet  without  a  branch.  The 
tops  of  tall  pines  are  favorite  localities  for  the  Magpie's  nest,  as  the  trunk 
of  these  trees  is  bare  of  branches  except  at  the  summit,  and  the  dark- 
green  foliage  of  the  spreading  branches  is  so  thick  that  it  affords  an 


The  Magpie  {Pica  cauduta). 


THE  CHOUGH.  389 

effectual  shelter  to  the  large  and  conspicuous  edifice  which  rests  upon 
the  boughs. 

When  tame  it  is  a  most  amusing  bird,  teaching  itself  all  kinds  of  odd 
tricks,  and  learning  to  talk  with  an  accuracy  and  volubility  little  inferior 
to  that  of  the  parrot.  It  is,  however,  a  most  incorrigibly  mischievous 
bird,  and  unless  subjected  to  the  most  careful  supervision  is  capable  of 
doing  a  very  great  amount  of  damage  in  a  wonderfully  short  space  of  time. 
I  have  witnessed  a  multitude  of  these  exploits,  but,  as  I  have  already  re- 
lated many  of  them  in  My  Feathered  Friends,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  pages  of  that  little  work  for  a  tolerably  long  series  of  new  and  orig- 
inal Magpie  anecdotes. 

The  plumage  of  this  bird  is  remarkably  handsome  in  both  color  and 
form.  The  head,  neck,  back,  and  upper  tail-coverts  are  deep  black, 
with  a  light  green  gloss  in  certain  lights ;  and  the  same  color  is  found 
on  the  chin,  the  throat,  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  and  the  base,  tips, 
and  outer  edges  of  the  primary  quill  feathers.  The  secondaries  are  also 
black,  but  with  a  blue  gloss,  which  becomes  peculiarly  rich  od  the  ter- 
tials  and  wing-coverts.  The  inner  web  of  the  primaries  is  white  for  a 
considerable  portion  of  its  length,  presenting  a  bold  and  conspicuous 
appearance  when  the  bird  spreads  its  wiugs.  The  central  feathers  of 
the  tail  are  nearly  eleven  inches  in  length,  and  they  decrease  gradually 
in  size,  those  on  the  exterior  being  hardly  five  inches  long.  Their  color 
is  a  wonderfully  rich  mixture  of  the  deepest  blue,  purple,  and  green, 
the  green  being  toward  the  base,  and  the  blue  and  purple  toward  the 
extremity.  The  under  surface  of  the  tail  feathers  is  dull  black.  The 
lower  parts  of  the  breast,  abdomen,  and  flanks  are  snowy  white. 

Of  the  next  little  group  of  Corvidse,  named  the  Pyrrhocoracinse,  or 
Scarlet  Crows,  in  allusion  to  the  red  bill  and  legs  of  some  of  the  species, 
England  possesses  a  good  example  in  the  common  Chough.  In  all 
these  birds  the  beak  is  long  and  slender,  slightly  curved  downward, 
and  with  a  small  notch  at  the  extremity. 

The  Chough  is  essentially  a  coast-bird,  loving  rocks  and  stones,  and 
having  a  great  dislike  to  grass  or  hedges  of  every  kind.  When  in 
search  of  food  it  will  venture  for  some  little  distance  inland,  and  has 
been  observed  in  the  act  of  following  the  ploughman  after  the  manner 
of  the  rook,  busily  engaged  in  picking  up  the  grubs  that  are  unearthed. 
Sometimes  it  will  feed  upon  berries  and  grain,  but  evidently  prefers  an- 
imal food,  pecking  its  prey  out  of  the  crevices  among  the  rocks  with 
great  rapidity  and  certainty  of  aim,  its  long  and  curved  beak  aiding  it 
in  drawing  the  concealed  insects  out  of  their  hiding-places. 

As  is  the  case  with  nearly  all  coast-birds,  the  Chough  builds  its  nest 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  sea,  generally  choosing  some  convenient 
crevice  in  a  cliff  or  an  old  ruin  near  the  seashore.  The  nest  is  always 
placed  at  a  considerable  elevation  from  the  ground,  and  is  made  of 

33* 


390  THE  EMERALD  BIRD  OF  PARADISE. 

sticks  and  lined  with  wool,  hair,  and  other  soft  substances.  The  eggs 
are  usually  five  in  number,  and  in  color  they  are  yellower  than  those 
of  the  crow  or  rook,  but  are  spotted  with  similar  tints.  The  general 
color  of  the  Chough  is  black  with  a  rich  blue  gloss,  contrasting  well 
with  the  vermilion-red  of  the  beak,  legs  and  toes.  The  claws  are 
black,  and  the  eyes  are  curiously  colored  with  red  and  blue  in  concen- 
tric circles.  The  total  length  of  the  adult  male  Chough  is  about  seven- 
teen inches,  and  the  female  is  about  three  inches  shorter. 

The  supremely  glorious  members  of  the  feathered  tribe  which  have 
by  common  consent  been  termed  Birds  of  Paradise  are  not  very 
numerous  in  species,  but  are  so  different  in  form  and  color,  according 
to  the  sex  and  age,  that  they  have  been  considered  far  more  numerous 
than  is  really  the  case.  The  plumage  of  these  birds  is  wonderfully  rich 
and  varied,  and  not  even  the  humming-birds  themselves  present  such 
an  inexhaustible  treasury  of  form  and  color  as  is  found  among  the 
comparatively  few  species  of  the  Birds  of  Paradise.  In  all  the  feath- 
ers glow  with  resplendent  radiance  ;  in  nearly  all  there  is  some  strange 
and  altogether  unique  arrangement  of  the  plumage  ;  and  in  many  the 
feathers  are  modified  into  plumes,  ribbons,  and  streamers,  that  produce 
the  most  surprising  and  lovely  effects. 

The  Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise  is  the  species  which  is  most  gen- 
erally known,  and  is  the  one  of  which  were  related  many  absurd  tales. 

The  specific  term,  apoda,  signifies  "  footless," 
and  was  given  to  tlie  bird  hy  Linnseus  in  al- 
lusion to  those  fables  which  were  then  cur- 
rent, but  which  he  did  not  believe. 

This  most  lovely  bird  is  a  native  of  New 
Guinea,  where  it  is  far  from  uncommon,  and 
is  annually  killed  in  great  numbers  for  the 
sake  of  its  plumage,  which  always  com- 
mands a  high  price  in  the  market.  It  is  a 
The  Emerald  Bird  OF  Par- very  retiring  bird,  concealing  itself  during 
ADisE  [Paradiseapoda).  ^he  day  in  the  thick  foliage  of  the  teak  tree, 
and  only  coming  from  the  green  shelter  at  the  rising  and  setting  of  the 
sun  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  food.  Almost  the  only  successful 
method  of  shooting  the  Emerald  Paradise  Bird  is  to  visit  a  teak  or 
fig  tree  before  dawn,  take  up  a  position  under  the  branches,  and  there 
wait  patiently  until  one  of  the  birds  comes  to  settle  upon  the  branches 
or  leaves  the  spot  which  has  sheltered  it  during  the  night.  This  bird 
is  rather  tenacious  of  life,  and  unless  killed  instantly  is  sure  to  make 
its  escape  amid  the  dense  brush-wood  that  grows  luxuriantly  beneath 
the  trees;  and  if  the  sportsman  ventured  to  chase  a  wounded  bird  amid 
the  bushes,  he  would,  in  all  probability,  lose  his  way  and  perish  of 
hunger.     Those  sportsmen,  therefore,  who  desire  to  shoot  this  bird  al- 


THE  SATIN   BOWER   BIRD.  391 

ways  provide  themselves  with  guns  that  will  carry  their  charge  to  a 
great  distance,  and  employ  very  large  shot  for  the  purpose,  as  the  bird 
always  perches  on  the  summits  of  the  loftiest  trees  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  would  not  be  much  damaged  by  the  shot  ordinarily  used  in 
shooting. 

This  species  is  very  suspicious,  so  that  the  sportsman  must  maintain 
a  profound  silence,  or  not  a  bird  will  show  itself  or  utter  its  loud  full 
cry,  by  which  the  hunter's  attention  is  directed  to  his  victim. 

The  large  and  important  family  of  the  Starlings  now  claims  our 
attention.  These  birds  are  seldom  of  great  size,  the  common  Starling 
of  England  being  about  an  average  example  of  their  dimensions.  The 
bill  of  the  Starling  tribe  is  straight  until  near  its  extremity,  when  it 
suddenly  curves  downward,  and  is  generally  armed  with  a  slight  notch. 
The  first  sub-family  of  these  birds  is  that  which  is  known  by  the  name 
of  Glossy  Starlings,  so  called  on  account  of  the  silken  sheen  of  their 
plumage. 

The  best  representative  of  this  little  group  is  the  celebrated  Satin 
BowEP.  Bird  of  Australia.  This  beautiful  and  remarkable  bird  is 
found  in  many  parts  of  New  South  Wales,  and,  although  it  is  by  no 
means  uncommon,  is  so  cautious  in  the  concealment  of  its  home  that 
even  the  hawk-eyed  natives  seem  never  to  have  discovered  its  nest. 

The  chief  peculiarity  for  which  this  bird  is  famous  is  a  kind  of 
bower  or  arbor,  which  it  constructs  from  twigs  in  a  manner  almost 
unique  among  the  feathered  tribes.  The  mode  of  its  construction, 
together  with  the  use  to  which  the  bird  puts  the  building,  may  be  learn- 
ed from  Mr.  Gould's  account : 

"On  visiting  the  cedar  brushes  of  the  Liverpool  range,  I  discovered 
several  of  these  bowers  or  playing-places ;  they  are  usually  placed  under 
the  shelter  of  the  branches  of  some  overhanging  tree  in  the  most  retired 
part  of  the  forest ;  they  differ  considerably  in  size,  some  being  larger, 
while  others  are  much  smaller.  The  base  consists  of  an  exterior  and 
rather  convex  platform  of  sticks,  firmly  interwoven,  on  the  centre  of 
which  the  bower  itself  is  built.  This,  like  the  platform  on  which  it  is 
placed  and  with  which  it  is  interwoven,  is  formed  of  sticks  and  twigs, 
but  of  a  more  slender  and  flexible  description,  the  tips  of  the  twigs 
being  so  arranged  as  to  curve  inward  and  nearly  meet  at  the  top ;  in 
the  interior  of  the  bower  the  materials  are  so  placed  that  the  forks  of 
the  twigs  are  always  presented  outward,  by  which  arrangement  not 
the  slightest  obstruction  is  offered  to  the  passage  of  the  birds. 

"  For  what  purpose  these  curious  bowers  are  made  is  not  yet,  perhaps, 
fully  understood  ;  they  are  certainly  not  used  as  a  nest,  but  as  a  place 
of  resort  for  many  individuals  of  both  sexes,  who  when  there  assembled 
run  through  and  round  the  bower  in  a  sportive  and  playful  manner, 
and  that  so  frequently  that  it  is  seldom  entirely  deserted. 


392  ,  THE  STARLING. 

"  The  interest  of  this  curious  bower  is  much  enhanced  by  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  decorated,  at  and  near  the  entrance,  with  the  most  gayly- 
colored  articles  that  can  be  collected,  such  as  the  blue  tail-feathers  of 
the  Rose  Hill  and  Lory  Parrots,  bleached  bones,  the  shells  of  snails, 
etc.  Some  of  the  feathers  are  stuck  in  among  the  twigs,  while  others, 
with  the  bones  and  shells,  are  strewed  about  near  the  entrance.  The 
propensity  of  these  birds  to  fly  ofl"  with  any  attractive  object  is  so  well 
known  that  the  blacks  always  search  the  runs  for  any  missing  article." 

So  persevering  are  these  birds  in  carrying  off  anything  that  may 
strike  their  fancy  that  they  have  been  known  to  steal  a  stone  tomahawk, 
some  blue  cotton  rags,  and  an  old  tobacco-pipe.  Two  of  these  bowers 
are  now  in  the  nest-room  of  the  British  Museum,  and  at  the  Zoological 
Gardens  the  Bower  Bird  may  be  seen  hard  at  work  at  its  surface, 
fastening  the  twigs  or  adorning  the  entrances,  and  ever  and  anon 
running  through  the  edifice  with  a  curious  loud  full  cry  that  always 
attracts  the  attention  of  a  passer-by.  The  Satin  Bower  Bird  bears 
confinement  well,  and,  although  it  will  not  breed  in  captivity,  it  is  very 
industrious  in  building  bowers  for  recreation. 

The  food  of  this  bird  seems  to  consist  chiefly  of  fruits  and  berries, 
as  the  stomachs  of  several  specimens  were  found  to  contain  nothing 
hut  vegetable  remains.  Those  which  are  caged  in  Australia  are  fed 
upon  rice,  fruit,  moistened  bread,  and  a  very  little  meat  at  intervals — 
a  diet  on  which  they  thrive  well.  The  plumage  of  the  adult  male  is 
a  very  glossy  satin-like  purple,  so  deep  as  to  appear  black  in  a  faint 
light,  but  the  young  males  and  the  females  are  almost  entirely  of  an 
olive-green. 

We  now  come  to  the  true  Starlings.  In  these  birds  the  bill  is 
almost  straight,  tapering,  and  elongated,  slightly  flattened  at  the  top, 
and  with  a  hardly  perceptible  notch. 

The  common  Starling  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  our  British  birds, 
the  bright  mottlings  of  its  plumage,  the, vivacity  of  its  movements,  and 
the  elegance  of  its  form  rendering  it  a  truly  beautiful  bird. 

It  is  very  common  in  all  parts  of  the  British  Isles,  as  well  as  in  many 
other  countries,  and  assembles  in  vast  flocks  of  many  thousands  in  num- 
ber, enormous  accessions  being  made  to  their  ranks  after  the  breeding 
season.  These  vast  assemblies  are  seen  to  best  advantage  in  the  fenny 
districts,  where  they  couch  for  the  night  amid  the  osiers  and  aquatic 
plants,  and  often  crush  whole  acres  to  the  ground  by  their  united 
weight.  In  their  flight  the  Starlings  are  most  wonderful  birds,  each 
flock,  no  matter  how  large  its  dimensions,  seeming  to  be  under  the 
command  of  one  single  bird,  and  to  obey  his  orders  with  an  instanta- 
neous action  which  appears  little  short  of  a  miracle.  A  whole  cloud 
of  Starlings  may  often  be  seen  flying  along  at  a  considerable  elevation 
from  the  ground,  darkening  the  sky  as  they  pass  overhead,  when  of  a 


ITS  FOOD. 


393 


sudden  the  flock  becomes  momentarily  indistinguishable,  every 
bird  having  simultaneously  turned  itself  on  its  side,  so  as  to  present 
only  the  edge  of  its  wings  to  the  eye.  The  whole  body  will  then  sep- 
arate into  several  divisions,  each  division  wheeling  with  the  most  won- 
derful accuracy,  and  after  again  uniting  their  forces  they  will  execute 
some  singular  manoeuvre,  and  then  resume  their  onward  progress  to  the 
feeding-ground  or  resting-place. 

The  nest  of  the  Starling  is  a 
very  loose  kind  of  affair,  com 
posed  of  straw,  roots,  and 
grasses,  thrust  carelessly  to- 
gether, and  hardly  deserving 
the  name  of  a  nest.  In  many 
cases  the  bird  is  so  heedless 
that  it  allows  bits  of  straw 
and  grass  to  hang  from  the 
hole  in  which  the  nest  is  placed, 
just  as  if  it  had  intentionally 
furnished  the  bird-nesting  boy 
with  a  clew  to  the  position  ot 
the  nest.  Although  this  bird 
makes  its  home  in  some  retired 
spot,  such  as  the  cleft  of  a  rock, 

a  niche  in  some   old   ruin,  a  ^       ^  ^  ,^^  ,      . 

,    ,        .  ,         1    ,  The  Common  Starling  (Sturnus  vulgaris 

ledge  in  a  church-tower,  or  a 

hole  in  a  decaying  tree,  there  are  few  nests  more  easy  to  discover ; 
for  not  only  does  the  bird  leave  indications  of  its  home  in  the  man- 
ner already  described,  but  is  so  very  loquacious  that  it  cannot  resist 
the  temptation  of  squalling  loudly  at  intervals,  especially  when  re- 
turning to  its  domicile  laden  with  food  for  its  young,  and  so  betrays  the 
position  of  its  home.  The  eggs  are  generally  five  in  number,  and  of 
the  faintest  imaginable  blue. 

The  food  of  the  Starling  is  very  varied,  but  consists  chiefly  of  insects. 
These  birds  have  a  habit  of  following  cows,  sheep,  and  horses,  flutter- 
ing about  them  as  they  move,  for  the  purpose  of  preying  upon  the  in- 
sects which  are  put  to  flight  by  their  feet.  The  Starlings  also  perch 
upon  the  backs  of  the  cattle  and  rid  them  of  the  parasitic  insects  that 
infest  them.  From  the  sheep  the  Starling  often  takes  toll,  pulling  out 
a  beakful  of  wool  now  and  then  and  carrying  it  away  to  its  nest.  It 
is  a  voracious  bird,  the  stomach  of  one  having  been  found  to  contain 
more  than  twenty  shells,  some  of  no  small  size  and  all  nearly  perfect, 
a  great  number  of  insects,  and  some  grain.  Another  Starling  had 
eaten  fifteen  molluscs  of  diflferent  kinds,  a  number  of  perfect  beetles, 
and  many  grubs. 


394  THE  SOCIABLE  WEAVER  BIRD. 

The  color  of  this  bird  is  very  beautiful,  and  is  briefly  as  follows : 
The  general  tint  is  an  extremely  dark  purplish  green,  having  an  al- 
most metallic  glitter  in  a  strong  light.  The  feathers  of  the  shoulders 
are  tipped  with  buff,  and  the  wing-coverts,  together  with  the  quill 
feathers  of  the  tail  and  wings,  are  edged  with  pale  reddish  brown.  The 
beak  is  a  fine  yellow.  The  feathers  of  the  upper  part  of  the  breast  are 
elongated  and  pointed.  This  is  the  plumage  of  the  adult  male,  and  is 
not  brought  to  its  perfection  until  three  years  have  elapsed.  The  first 
year's  bird,  before  its  autumnal  moult,  is  almost  wholly  of  a  brownish 
gray,  and  after  its  moult  is  partly  brown  and  partly  purple  and  green. 
In  the  second  year  the  plumage  is  more  decided  in  its  tints,  but  is  va- 
riegated with  a  great  number  of  light-colored  spots  on  the  under  and 
upper  surfaces,  and  the  beak  does  not  attain  its  beautiful  yellow 
tinge. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  large  and  important  families  of  the  Finches. 
In  all  these  birds  the  bill  is  conical,  short,  and  stout,  sharp  at  the  ex- 
tremity, and  without  any  notch  in  the  upper  mandible. 

The  first  group  of  the  Finches  is  composed  of  a  number  of  species 
which,  although  for  the  most  part  not  conspicuous  for  either  size,  beauty 
of  form,  or  brilliancy  of  color,  are  yet  among  the  most  remarkable  of  the 
feathered  tribe,  on  account  of  their  architectural  powers.  Dissimilar  in 
shape,  form,  and  material,  there  is  yet  a  nameless  something  in  the  con- 
struction of  their  edifices  which  at  once  points  them  out  as  the  workman- 
ship of  the  Weaver  Birds.  Some  of  them  are  huge,  heavy,  and  massive, 
clustered  together  in  vast  multitudes  and  bearing  down  the  branches  with 
their  weight.  Others  are  light,  delicate  and  airy,  woven  so  thinly  as  to 
permit  the  breeze  to  pass  through  their  net-like  interior,  and  dangling 
daintily  from  the  extremity  of  some  slender  twig.  Others,  again,  are 
so  firmly  built  of  flattened  reeds  and  grass-blades  that  they  can  be  de- 
tached from  their  branches  and  subjected  to  very  rough  handling  with- 
out losing  their  shape,  while  others  are  so  curiously  formed  of  stiff  grass- 
stalks  that  their  interior  is  studded  with  sharp  points  like  the  skin  of  a 
hedgehog. 

The  true  Weaver  Birds  all  inhabit  the  hotter  portions  of  the  Old 
World,  the  greater  number  of  them  being  found  in  Africa,  and  the  re- 
mainder in  various  parts  of  India. 

The  Sociable  Weaver  Bird  is  found  in  several  parts  of  Africa, 
and  has  always  attracted  the  attention  of  travellers  from  the  very  re- 
niarkable  edifice  which  it  constructs.  The  large  social  nests  of  this 
bird  are  so  conspicuous  as  to  be  notable  objects  at  many  miles'  dis- 
tance, and  it  is  found  that  they  generally  build  in  the  branches  of  the 
giraffe  thorn  or  "  kameeldorn,"  one  of  the  acacia  tribe. 

The  Sociable  AVeaver  Bird,  which  is  by  some  writers  termed  the 
"  Sociable  Grosbeak,"  in  choosing  a  place  for  its  residence,  is  careful 


THE  GROSBEAKS.  395 

to  select  a  tree  which  grows  in  a  retired  and  sheltered  situation,  se- 
cluded as  far  as  may  be  from  the  fierce  wind-storms  which  are  so 
common  in  hot  countries.  When  a  pair  of  these  birds  have  deter- 
mined to  make  a  new  habitation,  they  proceed  after  the  following 
fashion :  They  gather  a  vast  amount  of  dry  grasses,  the  favorite  be- 
ing a  long,  tough,  and  wiry  species,  called  "  Booschmauees-grass,"  and 
by  hanging  the  long  stems  over  the  branches  and  ingeniously  interweav- 
ing them  they  make  a  kind  of  roof,  or  thatch,  which  is  destined  to  shel- 
ter the  habitations  of  the  community. 

In  the  under  sides  of  this  thatch  they  fasten  a  number  of  separate 
nests,  each  being  inhabited  by  a  single  pair  of  birds,  and  divided  only 
by  its  walls  from  the  neighboring  habitation.  All  these  nests  are  placed 
with  their  mouths  downward,  so  that  when  an  entire  edifice  is  completed 
it  reminds  the  observer  very  strongly  of  a  common  wasps'  nest.  This 
curious  resemblance  is  often  further  strengthened  by  the  manner  in 
which  these  birds  will  build  one  row  of  nests  immediately  above  or 
below^  another,  so  that  the  nest-groups  are  arranged  in  layers  precisely 
similar  to  those  of  the  wasp  or  hornet.  The  number  of  habitations  thus 
placed  under  a  single  roof  is  often  very  great.  Le  Vaillant  mentions 
that  in  one  nest  which  he  examined  there  were  three  hundred  and 
twenty  inhabited  cells,  each  of  which  was  in  the  possession  of  a  distinct 
pair  of  birds,  and  would  at  the  close  of  the  breeding  season  have  quad- 
rupled their  numbers. 

The  number  of  eggs  in  each  nest  is  usually  from  three  to  five,  and 
their  color  is  bluish  white,  dotted  toward  the  larger  end  with  small 
brown  spots.  The  food  of  this  bird  seems  to  consist  mostly  of  insects, 
as,  when  the  nests  are  pulled  to  pieces,  wings,  legs,  and  other  hard  por- 
tions of  various  insects  are  often  found  in  the  interior  of  the  cells.  It 
is  said  that  the  Sociable  Weaver  Birds  have  but  one  enemy  to  fear — in 
the  persons  of  the  small  parrots,  who  also  delight  in  assembling  together 
in  society,  and  will  sometimes  make  forcible  entries  into  the  Weaver 
Birds'  nest  and  disperse  the  rightful  inhabitants. 

The  color  of  the  Sociable  Weaver  Bird  is  brown,  taking  a  pale  buff 
tint  on  the  under  surface  of  the  body,  and  mottled  on  the  back  with  the 
same  hue.     It  is  quite  a  small  bird,  measuring  only  five  inches  in  length. 

There  are  several  allied  species,  which  are  remarkable  for  the  struc- 
ture of  their  nests.  There  is  the  Mahali  Weaver  Bird,  whose  nest 
is  shaped  like  a  Florence  flask,  the  Taha,  the  Kufous-necked  Weaver, 
and  others,  all  of  which  suspend  their  nests  to  the  ends  of  branches  that 
overhang  water,  thus  ensuring  safety  against  almost  any  enemy. 

The  Grosbeaks  or  Hawfinches  now  claim  our  attention.  They 
are  all  remarkable  for  their  very  large,  broad,  and  thick  beaks,  a 
peculiarity  of  construction  which  is  intended  to  serve  them  in  their 
seed-crushing  habits. 


336 


THE  HAWFINCH. 


The  Pine  Grosbeak 

{Toxia  enudeator). 


England  possesses  a  good  example  of  this  group  in  the  well-known 
Hawfinch  or  Grosbeak. 

This  bird  was  once  thought  to  be  exceedingly  scarce,  but  is  now  known 
to  be  anything  but  uncoinraon,  although  it  is  rarely  seen,  owing  to  its 
very  shy  and  retiring  habits,  which  lead  it  to 
eschew  the  vicinity  of  man  and  to  bury  itself 
in  the  recesses  of  forests.  So  extremely  wary 
is  the  Hawfinch  that  to  approach  within  gun- 
shot is  a  very  difficult  matter,  and  can  seldom 
be  accomplished  without  the  assistance  of  a 
decoy-bird  or  by  imitating  the  call-note,  which 
_  ,     ,  .  -  bears  some  resemblance  to  that  of  a  robin.     It 

t^jJ^      "  ^^^^^   feeds  chiefly  on  the  various  wild  berries,  not 
^m  rejecting  even  the  hard  stones  of  plums  and 

^BM  the  laurel-berries.     In  the  spring  it  is  apt  to 

wWBj  make  inroads  in  the  early  dawn  upon  the  cul- 

^3  tivated  grounds,  and  has  an  especial  liking  for 

peas,  among  which  it  often  works  dire  havoc. 
The  nest  of  the  Hawfinch  is  not  remarkable 
for  either  elegance  or  peculiarity  of  form.  It  is  very  simply  built  of 
slender  twigs,  bits  of  dried  creepers,  gray  lichens,  roots,  and  hairs,  and 
is  so  carelessly  put  together  that  it  can  hardly  be  moved  entire.  The 
eggs  are  from  four  to  six  in  number,  and  their  color  is  very  pale  olive- 
green,  streaked  with  gray  and  spotted  with  black  dots.  The  birds  pair 
in  the  middle  of  April,  begin  to  build  their  nests  about  the  end  of  that 

month,  and  the  young  are 
hatched  about  the  third' 
week  in  May. 

The  true  Finches  are 
known    by    their    rather 
short  and    conical  beak, 
their    long   and    pointed 
wings,   and   the    absence 
of   nostrils  in  the  beak. 
England   possesses   many 
examples  of  these  birds. 
The  Chaffinch  is  one 
of  our  commonest   field- 
birds,  being  spread  over 
the  whole  of  England  in 
very  great  numbers. 
The    specific    title   of 
^s  given  to  the  Chaffinch,  signifies  "a  bachelor,"    and 
refers  to  the  annual  separation  of  the  sexes,  which  takes  place  in  the 


1.  Seaside  Finch, 
nah  Finch. 

C(£lcb.<,  which 


Finches. 

2.  Sharp-tailed  Finch. 


3.  Savan- 


THE  CHAFFINCH. 


397 


autumn,  the  females  departing  to  some  other  region,  and  the  males 
congregating  in  vast  multitudes,  consoling  themselves  as  they  best  can 
by  the  pleasures  of  society  for  the  absence  of  the  gentler  portion  of 
the  community. 

The  note  of  this  bird  is  a  merry  kind  of  whistle,  and  the  call-note 
is  very  musical  and  ringing,  somewhat  resembling  the  word  "  pinck," 
which  has  therefore  often  been  applied  to  the  bird  as  its  provincial 
name. 

The  nest  of  the  Chaffinch  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  neatest  among 
the  British  nests.  It  is  deeply  cup-shaped,  and  the  materials  of  which 
it  is  composed  are  moss,  wool,  hair,  _  _       ^^-- 

and  lichens,  the  latter  substances  fz;^--~— - 
being  always  stuck  profusely  over 
the  surface,  so  as  to  give  it  a  re- 
semblance to  #he  bough  on  which 
it  has  been  built.  The  nest  is  al- 
most invariably  made  in  the  up- 
right fork  of  a  branch,  just  at  its 
junction  with  the  main  stem  or 
bough  from  which  it  sprang,  and 
is  so  beautifully  worked  into  har- 
mony with  the  bark  of  the  partic- 
ular tree  on  which  it  is  placed 
that  it  escapes  the  eye  of  any  but 
a  practised  observer.  Great  pains 
are  taken  by  the  female  in  making 
her  nest,  and  the  structure  occu- 
pies her  about  three  weeks.  The 
eggs  are  from  four  to  five  in  number,  and  their  color  is  a  pale  brownish 
buft',  decorated  with  several  largish  spots  and  streaks  of  a  very  dark 
brown. 

The  color  of  this  pretty  bird  is  as  follows :  At  the  base  of  the  l)eak 
the  feathers  are  jetty  black,  and  the  same  hue,  but  with  a  slight  dash 
of  brown,  is  found  on  the  wings  and  the  greater  wing-coverts.  The 
top  of  the  head  and  the  back  of  the  neck  are  slaty  gray,  the  back  is 
chestnut,  and  the  sides  of  the  head,  the  chin,  throat,  and  breast  are 
bright  ruddy  chestnut,  fading  into  a  colder  tint  upon  the  abdomen. 
The  larger  wing-coverts  are  tipped  with  white,  the  lesser  covei-ts  are  en- 
tirely of  the  same  hue,  and  the  tertials  are  edged  with  yellowish  white. 
The  tail  has  the  two  central  feathers  grayish  black,  the  next  three  pairs 
black,  and  the  remaining  feathers  variegated  with  black  and  white. 
The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  six  inches.  The  female  is  colored  some- 
thing like  the  male,  but  not  so  brilliantly. 

Of  all  the  British  Finches,  none  is  so  truly  handsome  as  the  Gold- 

34 


The  Chaffinch  {Fringilla  coelebs) 


398  THE  GOLDFINCH  AND  THE  GREENFINCH. 

FINCH,  a  bird  whose  bright  yellow-orange  hues  suffer  but  little  even 
when  'it  is  placed  in  close  proximity  to  the  more  gaudy  Finches  of 
tropical  climates.  Like  the  chaffinch,  it  is  spread  over  the  whole  of 
En<rland,  and  may  be  seen  in  great  numbers  feeding  on  the  white  this- 
tlecfown.'  There  are  few  prettier  sights  than  to  watch  a  cloud  of  Gold- 
finches fluttering  along  a  hedge,  chasing  the  thistledown  as  it  is  whirled 
away  by  the  breeze,  and  uttering  all  the  while  their  sweet,  merry  notes. 
The  birds  are  not  very  shy,  and  by  lying  quietly  in  the  hedge  the 
observer  may  watch  them  as  they  come  flying  along,  ever  and  anon 
perching  upon  the  thistle-tops,  dragging  out  a  beakful  of  down,  and 
biting  off  the  seeds  with  infinite  satisfaction.  Sometimes  a  Goldfinch 
will  make  a  dart  at  a  thistle  or  burdock,  and  without  perching  snatch 
several  of  the  seeds  from  their  bed,  and,  then  alighting  on  the  stem, 
will  run  up  it  as  nimbly  as  a  squirrel  and  peck  away  at  the  seeds,  quite 
careless  as  to  the  attitude  it  may  be  forced  to  adopt.  These  beautiful 
little  birds  are  most  useful  to  the  farmer,  for  they  not  only  devour  mul- 
titudes of  insects  during  the  spring  months,  but  in  the  autumn  they 
turn  their  attention  to  the  thistle,  burdock,  groundsel,  plantain,  and 
other  weeds,  and  work  more  effectual  destruction  than  the  farmer  could 
hope  to  attain  with  all  his  laborers.  Several  Goldfinches  may  often 
be  seen  at  one  time  on  the  stem  and  top  of  a  single  thistle,  and  two  or 
three  are  frequently  busily  engaged  on  the  same  plant  of  groundsel. 

The  nest  of  tlie  Goldfinch  is  very  neat  and  prettily  made,  sometimes 
built  in  a  hedge  or  thick  bush,  but  mo;5tly  placed  toward  the  extremity 
of  athickly-foliaged  tree-branch,  such  being  a  favorite  for  this  purpose. 
In  this  position  the  nest  is  so  ingeniously  concealed  from  the  gaze  of 
every  one  beneath,  by  the  disposition  of  the  branches  and  leaves  and 
by  the  manner  in  which  the  exterior  of  the  nest  is  made  to  harmonize 
in  tint  with  the  bark,  that  it  can  scarcely  be  discerned  even  when  the 
observer  has  climbed  the  tree  and  is  looking  down  upon  the  nest.  The 
bird,  too,  seldom  flies  directly  in  or  out  of  the  nest,  but  alights  at  a  lit- 
tle distance  from  her  tree,  and  then  slips  quietly  through  the  leaves 
until  she  reaches  her  eggs  or  young. 

The  materials  of  which  the  exterior  of  the  nest  is  made  differ  accord- 
ing to  the  tree  in  which  it  is  placed.  In  general,  fine  grasses,  wool,  hairs, 
and  very  slender  twigs  are  employed  in  constructing  the  walls,  and  the 
interior  is  softly  lined  with  feathers,  down,  and  hairs.  The  eggs  are 
generally  four  or  five  in  number,  and  delicately  marked  with  small 
dots  and  streaks  of  light  purplish  brown  upon  a  white  ground,  having 
a  tinge  of  blue,  something  like  "  sky-blue  "  milk. 

The  Greenfinch  is  one  of  our  commonest  birds,  being  resident  in 
tliis  country  throughout  the  year,  and  not  even  requiring  a  partial 
migration.  It  is  found  mostly  in  hedges,  bushes,  and  copses,  and,  as 
it  is  a  bold  and  familiar  bird,  is  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  the  habita- 


THE  COMMON  LINNET. 


399 


tions  of  men,  aud  even  building  its  nest  within  close  proximity  to  houses 
or  gardens.  When  young  the  bird  is  fed  almost  wholly  upon  caterpil- 
lars and  various  insects,  and  not  until  it  has  attained  its  full  growth 
does  it  try  upon  the  hard  seeds  the  large  bill  which  has  obtained  for  it 
the  title  of  Green  Grosbeak. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  generally  built  rather  later  than  is  usual  with 
the  Finches,  and  is  seldom  completed  until  May  has  fairly  set  in.  Its 
substance  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  chaffinch,  being  composed  of  roots, 
wool,  moss,  and  feathers.  It  is  not,  however,  so  neatly  made  or  so  finely 
woven  together  as  the  nest  of  that  bird.  The  eggs  are  from  three  to 
five  in  number,  and  the  color  is  bluish  white,  covered  at  the  larger  end 
with  spots  of  brown  and  gray. 

Few  birds  are  better  known  than  the  Common  Linnet,  although  the 
change  of  plumage  to  which  it  is  subject  in  the  different  seasons  of  the 
year  has  caused  the  same  bird, 
while  in  its  winter  plumage,  to 
be  considered  as  distinct  from  the 
same  individual  in  its  summer 
dress.  Except  during  the  breed- 
ing season  the  Linnets  associate 
in  flocks,  flying  from  spot  to  spot, 
and  feeding  upon  the  seeds  of  va- 
rious plants,  evidently  preferring 
those  of  the  thistle,  dandelion,  and 
various  cruciferous  plants. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  strangely 
variable  in  the  positions  which  it 
occupies,  sometimes  being  placed 
,at  a  considerable  height  upon  a 
tree,  and  at  other  times  built  in 
some  bush  quite  close  to  the 
ground,  the  latter  being  the  usual 
locality  chosen  by  the  bird.  The 
full  number  of  the  eggs  is  five,  and  the  color  is  mostly  blue,  spotted 
with  dark  brown  and  a  rather  faint  and  undecided  purple. 

The  summer  plumage  of  the  male  bird  is  as  follows :  On  the  top  of 
the  head  the  feathers  are  grayish  brown  at  their  base,  but  are  tipped 
with  bright  vermilion — a  tint  which  contrasts  well  with  the  ashen  gray- 
brown  of  the  face  and  back  of  the  neck.  The  upper  parts  of  the  body 
are  warm  chestnut,  and  the  wing  is  black,  excepting  the  narrower  ex- 
terior webs,  which  are  white.  The  chin  and  throat  are  gray,  the  breast 
bright  red  slightly  dappled  with  brown,  and  the  under  portions  of  the 
body  are  gray-brown,  taking  a  yellowish  tint  on  the  flanks.  The  tail 
is  rather  forked,  and  the  feathers  are  black  edged  with  white. 


Linnets  {FringiUa  cannabi 


ina). 


400 


THE  CANAKY   BIRD  AND  THE  SISKIN. 


The  Canary  {Curdaelis  canaria). 


The  pretty  little  Canary  Bird,  so  prizad  as  a  domestic  pet,  derives 
its  name  from  the  locality  whence  it  was  originally  brought. 

Rather  more  than  three  hundred  years  ago  a  ship  was  partly  laden 

with  little  green  birds  captur- 
ed in  the  Canary  Islands,  and, 
the  vessel  having  been  wrecked 
near  Elba,  the  birds  made  their 
escape,  flew  to  the  island,  and 
there  settled  themselves.  Num- 
bers of  them  were  caught  by 
the  inhabitants,  and  on  account 
of  their  sprightly  vivacity  and 
the  brilliancy  of  their  voice  they 
soon  became  great  favorites,  and 
rapidly  spread   over  Europe. 

The  original  color  of  the  Ca- 
nary is  not  the  bright  yellow 
with  which  its  feathers  are  gen- 
erally tinted,  but  a  kind  of 
dappled  olive-green,  black,  and  yellow,  either  color  predominating 
according  to  circumstances. 

I  have  kept  Can  iries  for  many  years,  and  could  fill  pages  with  an- 
ecdotes and  histories  of  them  and 
their  habits,  but,  as  I  have  already 
written  rather  a  long  biography 
of  my  Canaries  in  My  Feathered 
Friends,  together  with  instructions 
for  the  management  and  rearing 
of  these  pretty  birds,  there  is  no, 
need  to  repeat  the  account  in  the 
present  pages. 

The  Siskin  is  hardly  to  be  con- 
sidered more  than  an  occasional 
visitor  in  England,  but  in  Scotland 
it  sometimes  breeds,  as  may  be  seen 
from  the  following  extract : 

"The  Siskin  is  a  common  bird 
in  all  the  high  parts  of  Aberdeen- 
shire, which  abound  in  fir-woods. 
They  build  generally  near  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  branches  of  tall 
fir  trees  or  near  the  summit  of 
the  tree.  Sometimes  the  nest  is 
found  in  plantations  of  young  fir-wood.     In   one  instance  I  met  with 


The  Siskin  [Fringillus  spiuus). 


THE  SPARROW. 


401 


a  nest  not  three  feet  from  the  ground.  I  visited  it  every  day  until 
four  or  five  eggs  were  deposited.  During  incubation  the  female 
showed  no  fear  at  my  approacli.  On  bringing  my  hand  close  to  the 
nest  she  showed  some  inclination  to  pugnacity,  and  tried  to  frighten 
me  away  with  her  open  bill,  following  my  hand  round  and  round 
when  I  attempted  to  touch  her.  At  last  she  would  only  look  anxiously 
round  to  my  finger  without  making  any  attack  on  me.  The  nest  was 
formed  of  small  twigs  of  birch  or  heath  outside  and  neatly  lined  with 
hair."     Its  eggs  are  a  bluish  white  spotted  with  purplish  red. 

The  noisy,  familiar,  impatient  Sparrow  is  one  of  those  creatures  that 
have  attached  thejnselves  to  man  and  follow  him  wherever  he  goes. 

Nothing  seems  to  daunt  this  bold  little  bird,  which  is  equally  at 
home  in  the  fresh  air  of  the  country  farm,  in  the  midst  of  a  crowded 


^^>.J 


^^^f^^s    ,,.. 


The  Sparrow^  {Pmser  doviesficvs). 

city,  or  among  the  strange  sights  and  sounds  of  a  large  railway-station- 
treating  with  equal  indifference  the  slow-paced  wagon-horses  as  they 
deliberately  drag  their  load  over  the  country  roads,  the  noisy  cabs  and 
omnibuses  as  they  rattle  over  the  city  pavements,  and  the  snorting, 
puffing  engines  as  they  dash  through  the  stations  with  a  velocity  that 
makes  the  earth  tremble  beneath  their  terrible  rush. 

Although  its  ordinary  food  consists  of  insects  and  grain,  both  of 
which  articles  it  can  obtain  only  in  the  open  country,  it  accommodates 
itself  to  a  town  life  with  perfect  ease,  and  picks  up  a  plentiful  subsist- 
ence upon  the  various  refuse  that  is  thrown  daily  out  of  town-houses, 
and  which,  before  it  is  handed  over  to  the  dustman,  is  made  by  the 
Sparrow  to  yield  many  a  meal. 

When  in  the  country  the  Sparrow  feeds  almost  wholly  on  insects  and 
3i  *  2  A 


402  THE   YELLOW  BUNTING. 

grain,  the  former  being  procured  in  the  spring  and  early  summer,  and 
the  latter  in  autumn  and  winter.  As  these  birds  assemble  in  large 
(locks  and  are  always  very  plentiful,  they  devour  great  quantities  of 
grain,  and  are  consequently  much  persecuted  by  the  farmer,  and  their 
numbers  thinned  by  guns,  traps,  nets,  and  all  kinds  of  devices.  Yet 
their  services  in  ins?ct-killing  are  so  great  as  to  render  them  most  useful 
birds  to  the  agriculturist.  A  single  pair  of  these  birds  have  been 
watched  during  a  whole  day,  and  were  seen  to  convey  to  their  young 
no  less  than  forty  grubs  per  hour,  making  an  average  exceeding  three 
thousand  in  the  course  of  the  week.  In  every  case  where  the  Sparrows 
have  been  extirpated,  there  has  been  a  proportional  decrease  in  the 
crops  from  the  ravages  of  insects.  At  Maine,  for  example,  the  total 
destruction  of  the  Sparrows  was  ordered  by  government,  and  the  conse- 
(juence  was  that  in  the  succeeding  year  even  the  trees  were  killed  by 
caterpillars,  and  a  similar  occurrence  took  place  near  Auxerre. 

The  nest  of  the  Sparrow  is  a  very  inartificial  structure,  composed  of 
hay,  straw,  leaves,  and  various  similar  substances,  and  always  filled 
with  a  prodigious  lining  of  feathers.  For,  although  the  Sparrow  is  as 
hardy  a  bird  as  can  be  seen,  and  appears  to  care  little  for  snow  or  frost, 
it  likes  a  warm  bed  to  which  it  may  retire  after  the  toils  of  the  day, 
and  always  stuffs  its  resting-place  full  of  feathers,  which  it  gets  from 
all  kinds  of  sources.  Even  the  roosting-places  are  often  crammed  with 
feathers. 

Generally  the  nest  is  built  in  some  convenient  crevice,  such  as  an  old 
wall,  especially  if  it  be  covered  with  ivy ;  but  the  bird  is  by  no  means 
particular  in  the  choice  of  a  locality,  and  will  build  in  many  other 
situations.  There  are  generally  five  eggs,  though  they  sometimes  reach 
the  number  of  six,  and  their  color  is  grayish  white,  profusely  covered 
with  spots  and  dashes  of  gray-brown.  They  are,  however,  extremely 
variable,  and  even  in  the  same  nest  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  some 
eggs  that  are  almost  black  with  the  mottlings,  while  others  have  hardly 
a  spot  about  them.  The  Sparrow  is  a  very  prolific  bird,  bringing  up 
several  broods  in  the  course  of  a  season,  and  has  been  known  to  rear 
no  less  than  fourteen  young  in  a  single  breeding  season. 

The  Buntings  are  known  by  their  sharp  conical  bills,  with  the 
edges  of  the  upper  mandible  rounded  and  slightly  turned  inward,  and 
the  knob  on  the  palate.  They  are  common  in  most  parts  of  the  world, 
are  gregarious  during  the  winter  months,  and  in  some  cases  become  so 
fat  upon  the  autumn  grain  that  they  are  considered  great  dainties. 

One  of  the  most  familiar  of  all  these  birds  is  the  Yellow  Bunting, 
or  Yellow  Hammer,  as  it  is  often  called. 

This  lively  bird  frequents  our  fields  and  hedgerows,  and  is  remark- 
able for  a  curious  mixture  of  wariness  and  curiosity,  the  latter  feeling 
mipelling  it  to  observe  a  traveller  with  great  attention,  and  the  former 


THE  ORTOLAN. 


403 


to  keep  out  of  reach  of  any  missile.  So,  in  walking  along  a  country- 
lane,  the  passenger  is  often  preceded  by  one  or  more  of  these  birds, 
which  always  keeps  about  seventy  or  eighty  yards  in  advance,  and  flutters 
in  and  out  of  the  hedges  or  trees  with  a  peculiar  and  unmistakable  flirt 
of  the  wings  and  tail. 

The  song — if  it  may  be  so  called — of  the  bird  has  a  peculiar  intona- 
tion, which  is  almost  articulate,  and  is  variously  rendered  in  different 
parts  of  England.  For  example,  among 
the  southern  counties  it  is  well  repre- 
sented by  the  words,  "A  little  bit  of 
bread  and  no  che-ee-ee-ee-se !"  In  Scot- 
land it  assumes  a  sense  quite  in  accord- 
ance with  the  character  of  its  auditors, 
and  is  supposed  to  say,  "  De'il,  de'il,  de'il 
take  ye-ee-ee-ee." 

The  nest  of  the  Yellow  Bunting  is  gen- 
erally placed  upon  or  very  close  to  tiie 
earth,  and  the  best  place  to  seek  for  the 
structure  is  the  bottom  of  a  hedge  where  The  Yellow  Hammer  {Em- 
the  grass  has  been  allowed  to  grow  freely  benza  citnndla). 

and  the  ground  has  been  well  drained  by  the  ditch.  In  rustic  parlance, 
a  "  rough  gripe  "  is  the  place  wherein  to  look  for  the  Yellow  Hammer's 
nest.  It  is  a  neatly-built  edifice,  composed  chiefly  of  grasses  and  lined 
with  hair.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number,  and  their  color  is  white  with 
a  dash  of  very  pale  purple,  and  dotted  and  scribbled  all  over  with 
dark  purple-brown.  Both  dots  and  lines  are  most  variable,  and  it  also 
frequently  happens  that  an  e^g  appears  with  hardly  a  mark  upon  it, 
while  others  in  the  same  nest  are  entirely  covered  with  the  quaint- 
looking  decorations. 

The  general  color  of  this  bird  is  bright  yellow,  variegated  with 
patches  of  dark  brown,  and  having  a  richly-mottled  brownish  yellow 
on  the  back,  with  a  decided  warm  ruddy  tinge.  The  primary  feathers 
of  the  wing  are  black  edged  with  yellow,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
feathers  throughout,  with  all  the  wing-coverts,  are  deep  brown-black 
edged  with  ruddy  brown.  The  chin,  throat,  and  all  the  under  parts 
of  the  body  are  bright  pure  yellow,  sobering  into  rusty  brown  on  the 
flanks.  The  female  is  similarly  marked,  but  is  not  so  brilliant  in  her 
hues.     The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  about  seven  inches. 

The  Ortolan,  or  Garden  Bunting,  is  widely  celebrated  for  the 
delicacy  of  its  flesh,  or  rather  for  that  of  its  fat,  the  fat  of  the  Ortolan 
being  somewhat  analogous  to  the  green  fat  of  the  turtle  in  the  opinion 
of  gourmands. 

The  Ortolan  has  occasionally  been  shot  in  England,  but  it  is  most 
frequently  found  on  the  Continent,  Avhere  its  advent  is  expected  with 


404 


THE  SKYLARK. 


The  Ortolan  {Emheriz'i 
hortidana). 


o-reat  anxiety,  and  vast  numbers  are  annually  captured  for  the  table. 
These  birds  are  not  killed  at  once,  as  they  would  not  be  in  proper  con- 
dition, but  they  are  placed  in  a  dark  room, 
so  as  to  prevent  them  from  moving  about, 
and  are  fed  largely  with  oats  and  millet  un- 
til they  become  mere  lumps  of  fat,  weigh- 
ing nearly  three  ounces,  and  are  then  killed 
and  sent  to  table. 

The  coloring  of  this  bird  is  as  follows: 
The  head  is  gray  with  a  green  tinge,  and 
the  back  is  ruddy  brown  beautifully  mot- 
tled with  black.  The  wings  are  black,  with 
brown  edges  to  the  feathers ;  the  chin,  throat, 
and  upper  portions  of  the  breast  are  green- 
ish yellow ;  and  the  abdomen  is  warm  buff. 
The  total  length  of  the  Ortolan  is  rather 
more  than  six  inches. 

The  Larks  may  be  readily  recognized 
by  the  very  great  length  of  the  claw  of  the 
hind  toe,  the  short  and  conical  bill,  and  the 
great  length  of  tlie  tertiary  quill  feathers  of  the  wing,  which  are  often 
as  long  as  the  primaries. 

The  first  example  of  these  birds  is  the  well-known  Skylark,  so  de- 
servedly famous  for  its  song  and  its  aspiring  character. 

This  most  interesting  bird  is  happily  a  native  of  our  land,  and  has 
cheered  many  a  sad  heart  by  its  blithe,  jubilant  notes  as  it  wings  sky- 
ward on  strong  pinions  or  flatters  between  cloud  and  earth,  pouring 
out  its  very  soul  in  its  rich,  wild  melody.  Early  in  the  spring  the 
Lark  begins  its  song,  and  continues  its  musical  efforts  for  nearly  eight 
months,  so  that  on  almost  every  warm  day  of  the  year  on  which  a  coun- 
try walk  is  practicable  the  Sky- 
lark's happy  notes  may  be  heard 
ringing  throughout  the  air,  long 
after  the  bird  which  utters  them 
has  dwindle^  to  a  mere  speck, 
hardly  distinguishable  from  a 
midge  floating  in  the  sunbeams. 
The  nest  of  the  Skylark  is 
always  placed  on  the  ground, 
and  generally  in  some  little 
rp       ,.  ,  ,,  depression,  such  as  the  imprint 

liiE  bKYLAKK  iAlaudu  urv...),  ,f  ^  horse's  hoof,  the  side  of  a 
mole-hill,  or  the  old  furrow  of  a  plough.  It  is  very  well  concealed, 
the  top  of  the  nest  being  only  just  on  a  level  with  the  surface  of 


THE  BULLFINCH, 


405 


the  ground,  and  sometimes  below  it.  I  have  known  several  instances 
where  the  young  Larks  would  suffer  themselves  to  be  fed  by  hand 
as  they  sat  in  their  nests,  but  the  parent  birds  always  seemed  dis- 
tressed at  the  intrusion  into  their  premises.  The  materials  of  which 
the  nest  is  made  are  dry  grasses,  bents,  leaves,  and  hair,  the  hair  being 
generally  used  in  the  lining.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  sober  coloring 
of  these  substances  renders  the  nest  so  uniform  in  tint  with  the  sur- 
rounding soil  that  to  discover  it  is  no  easy  matter.  The  eggs  are  four 
or  five  in  number,  and  their  color  is  gray-yellow  washed  with  light 
brown  and  speckled  with  brown  of  a  darker  hue.  They  are  laid  in 
May,  and  are  hatched  in  about  a  fortnight. 

Toward  the  end  of  autumn  and  throughout  the  winter  tlie  Larks  be- 
come very  gregarious,  "  packing  "  in  flocks  of  thousands  in  number, 
and  becoming  very  fat  when  snow  should  cover  the  ground,  in  which 
case  they  speedily  lose  their  condition.  These  flocks  are  often  aug- 
mented by  the  arrival  of  numerous  little  flocks  from  the  Continent 
that  come  flying  over  the  sea  about  the  end  of  autumn,  so  that  the  bird- 
catchers  generally  reap  a  rich  harvest  in  a  sharp  winter. 

The  next  group  is  that  of  the  Pyrrhulinaj,  of  which  our  Bullfinch 
is  a  familiar  example. 

It  cares  little  for  open  country,  preferring  cultivated  grounds,  woods, 
and  copses,  and  is  very  fond  of  orchards  and  fruit-gardens,  finding  there 
its  greatest  supply  of  food.  This 
bird  seems  to  feed  almost  wholly 
on  buds  during  their  season,  and 
is  consequently  shot  without  mere  y 
by  the  owners  of  fruit-gardens. 
The  Bullfinch  has  a  curious  pro- 
pensity for  selecting  those  buds 
which  would  produce  fruit,  so 
that  the  leafage  of  the  tree  is  not 
at  all  diminished.  Although  the 
general  verdict  of  the  garden- 
keeping  public  goes  against  the 
Bullfinch,  there  are,  nevertheless, 
some  owners  of  gardens  who  are 
willing  to  say  a  kind  word  for 
Bully,  and  who  assert  that  its  mis- 
chievous propensities  have  been 
much  overrated. 

It  is  true  that  the  bird  will  often- 
times set  hard  to  work  upon  a  fruit  tree  and  ruthlessly  strip  off  every 
single  flower-bud,  thereby  destroying,  to  all  appearance,  the  prospects 
of  the  crop  for  that  season.     Yet  there  are  cases  when  a  gooseberry- 


The  Bullfinch  {Pyrrhula  rubicUla). 


406  THE  CROSSBILL. 

bush  has  thus  been  completely  disbudded,  and  yet  borne  a  heavy  crop 
of  fruit.  The  reason  of  this  curious  phenomenon  may  probably  be 
that  some  of  the  buds  were  attacked  by  insects,  and  that  the  kind  of 
pruning  process  achieved  by  the  Bullfinch  was  beneficial  rather  than 
liurtful  to  the  plant. 

The  Bullfinch  afibrds  a  curious  instance  of  the  change  wrought  by 
domestication.  In  its  natural  state  its  notes  are  by  no  means  remark- 
able, but  its  memory  is  so  good,  and  its  powers  of  imitation  so  singu- 
lar, that  it  can  be  taught  to  pipe  tunes  with  a  sweet  and  flute-like  in- 
tonation, having  some  of  that  peculiar  "  woody  "  quality  that  is  ob- 
servable in  the  flute. 

Those  who  desire  to  find  the  nest  of  the  Bullfinch  must  search  in  the 
thickets  and  most  retired  parts  of  woods  or  copses,  and  thfey  may  per- 
haps find  the  nest  hidden  very  carefully  away  in  some  leafy  branch  at 
no  great  height  from  the  ground.  A  thick  bush  is  a  very  favorite  spot 
for  the  nest,  but  I  have  more  than  once  found  one  in  hazel  branches  so 
slender  that  the  mere  weight  of  the  nest  has  bent  them  aside.  The  eggs 
are  very  prettily  marked  with  deep  violet  and  purple-brown  streaks 
and  mottlings  upon  a  greenish  white  ground,  and  are  easily  recogniza- 
ble by  the  more  or  less  perfect  ring  which  these  form  round  the  larger 
end  of  the  egg.     The  egg^  are  geucsrally  five  in  number. 

The  Crossbills,  of  which  three  species  are  known  to  inhabit  Eng- 
land, are  most  remarkable  birds,  and  have  long  been  celebrated  on  ac- 
count of  the  singular  form 
of  beak  from  which  they 
derive  their  name. 

In  all  these  birds  the 
two  mandibles  completely 
CDss  each  other,  so  that 
at  first  sight  the  struc- 
ture appears  to  be  a  mal- 
formation, and  to  prohibit 

,p       ^,  ,^     ,    '^^^  the  bird  from  picking  up 

The  Crossbill  {Lona  a^vimstris).  g,,^^  ^^  f^^^i/^  .^J^  i|^ 

any  way.  But  when  the  Crossbill  is  seen  feeding  it  speedily  proves 
Itself  to  be  favored  with  all  the  ordinary  faculties  of  birds,  and  to 
be  as  capable  of  obtaining  its  food  as  are  any  of  the  straight-beaked 
birds.  *^  ^ 

The  food  of  the  Crossbill  consists  to  a  great  extent,  if  not  exclusively, 
of  seeds,  which  it  obtains  in  a  very  curious  manner.  It  is  very  fond  of 
ai)ple-pips,  and,  settling  on  the  tree  where  ripe  apples  are  to  be  found, 
attacks  the  fruit  with  its  beak,  and  in  a  very  few  moments  cuts  a  hole 
tairly  mto  the  "core,"  from  which  it  daintily  picks  out  the  seeds  and 
eats  them,  rejectmg  the  ripe  pulpy  fruit  in  which   they  had  been  en- 


SCANSORES.  407 

veloped.  As  the  Crossbill  is  rather  a  voracious  bird,  the  havoc  which 
it  will  make  in  an  orchard  may  be  imagined. 

This  bird  is  also  very  fond  of  the  seeds  of  cone-bearing  trees, 
and  haunts  the  pine-forests  in  great  numbers.  While  engaged  in  eat- 
ing it  breaks  the  cones  from  branches,  and,  holding  them  firmly  iu 
its  feet  after  the  fashion  of  the  parrots,  inserts  its  beak  below 
the  scales,  wrenches  them  away,  and  with  its  tongue  scoops  out 
the  seed. 

The  Crossbill  is  not  common  in  this  country,  although,  when  it  does 
make  its  appearance,  it  generally  comes  over  in  flocks.  Usually  it  con- 
sorts in  little  assemblies  consisting  of  the  parents  and  their  young,  but 
it  has  often  been  known  to  associate  in  considerable  numbers.  It  is  a 
very  shy  bird,  and  has  a  peculiar  knack  of  concealing  itself  at  a  mo- 
ment's notice,  pressing  itself  closely  upon  the  branches  at  the  least 
alarm,  and  remaining  without  a  movement  or  a  sound  to  indicate  its 
position  until  the  danger  has  departed. 

In  Sweden  and  Norway  the  Crossbill  is  a  very  common  bird,  and  the 
north  of  Europe  seems  to  be  its  proper  breeding-place. 

The  nests  are  always  placed  in  rather  close  proximity,  so  that  if  one 
nest  is  found,  others  are  sure  to  be  at  no  great  distance.  The  nest  is 
made  of  little  fir-twigs,  mosses,  and  wool,  and  is  of  a  rather  loose  texture. 
It  is  always  found  upon  the  part  of  the  branch  that  is  nearest  the  stem. 
The  fir  is  the  tree  that  is  almost  always,  if  not  invariably,  employed  by 
this  bird  as  its  nesting-place.  The  eggs  are  generally  three,  but  some- 
times four,  in  number,  and  are  something  like  those  of  the  greenfinch, 
but  rather  larger. 

SCANSORES,  OH  CLIMBING  BIRDS. 

A  large  group  of  birds  is  arranged  by  naturalists  under  the  title  of 
Scansores,  or  "  climbing  birds,"  and  may  be  recognized  by  the  struc- 
ture of  the  feet.  Two  toes  are  directed  forward  and  the  other  two 
backward,  so  that  the  bird  is  able  to  take  a  very  powerful  hold  of  the 
substance  on  which  it  is  sitting;  and  this  arrangement  enables  some 
species,  as  the  woodpeckers,  to  run  nimbly  up  tree-trunks  and  to  hold 
themselves  tightly  on  the  bark  while  they  hammer  away  with  their 
beaks,  and  other  species,  of  which  the  parrots  are  familiar  examples, 
to  clasp  the  bough  as  with  a  hand. 

There  are  many  strange  and  wonderful  forms  among  the  feathered 
tribes,  but  there  are,  perhaps,  none  which  more  astonish  the  beholder 
who  sees  them  for  the  first  time  than  the  group  of  birds  known  by  the 
name  of  Hornbills. 

They  are  all  distinguished  by  a  very  large  beak,  to  which  is  added  a 
singular  helnut-like  appendage,  equalling  the  beak  itself  in  some  species. 


408 


THE  RHINOCEKOS  HORNBILL. 


while  in  others  it  is  so  small  as  to  attract  but  little  notice.  On  account 
of  the  enormous  size  of  the  beak  and  the  helmet,  which  in  some  species 
recede  to  the  crown  of  the  head,  the  bird  appears  to  be  overweighted 
by  the  mass  of  horny  substance  which  it  has  to  carry,  but  on  a  closer 
investigation  the  whole  structure  is  found  to  be  singularly  light,  and 
yet  very  strong. 

On  cutting  asunder  the  beak  and  helmet  of  a  Hornbill,  we  shall  find 
that  the  outer  shell  of  horny  substance  is  very  thin  indeed — scarcely 
thicker  than  the  paper  on  which  this  description  is  printed — and  that 
the  whole  interior  is  composed  of  numerous  honeycombed  cells  with 
very  thin  walls  and  very  wide  spaces,  the  walls  of  the  cells  being  so 
arranged  as  to  give  very  great  strength  when  the  bill  is  used  for  biting, 
and  with  a  very  slight  expenditure  of  material. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  development  of  beak  and  helmet  is  found  in  the 
Rhinoceros  Hornbill. 

As  is  the  case  with  all  the  Hornbills,  the  beak  varies  greatly  in  pro- 
portion to  the  age  of  the 
individual,  the  helmet 
being  almost  impercepti- 
ble when  it  is  first  hatch- 
ed, and  the  bill  not  very 
striking  in  its  dimensions. 
But  as  the  bird  gains  in 
strength,  so  does  the  beak 
gain  in  size,  and  when  it  is 
adult  the  helmet  and  beak 
attain  their  full  propor- 
tions. 

When  at  liberty  in  its 
native  forests  the  Hornbill 
is  lively  and  active,  leap- 
ing from  bough  to  bough 
with  great  lightness,  and 
appearing  to  be  not  in  the 
least  incommoded  by  its 
large  beak.  It  ascends 
the  tree  by  a  succession 
of  easy  jumps,  each  of 
which  brings  it  to  a  high- 
er branch,  and  when  it  has 
„   ,  .  attained  the  very  summit 

ot  the  tree  It  stops  and  pours  forth  a  succession  of  loud  roaring  sounds 
which  can  be  heard  at  a  considerable  distance. 

The  food   of  the  Hornbill    seems  to   consist  of  both   animal    and 


A^ 


The  Rhinoceros  Hornbill  (Buceros  Rhi 


THE  TOUCAN.  409 

vegetable  matters,  and  Lesson  remarks  that  those  species  which  in- 
habit Africa  live  on  carrion,  while  those  that  are  found  in  Asia  feed 
on  fruits,  and  that  their  ilesh  acquires  thereby  an  agreeable  and 
peculiar  flavor.  While  on  the  ground  the  movements  of  the  Hornbill 
are  rather  peculiar,  for  instead  of  walking  soberly  along,  as  might  be 
expected  from  a  bird  of  its  size,  it  hops  along  by  a  succession  of  jumps. 
It  is  but  seldom  seen  on  the  ground,  preferring  the  trunks  of  trees, 
which  its  pow^erful  feet  are  well  calculated   to  clasp  firmly. 

The' very  curious  birds  that  go  by  the  namQ  of  Toucans  are  not 
one  whit  less  remarkable  than  hornbills,  their  beak  being  often  as 
extravagantly  large,  and  their 
colors  by  far  superior.  They  are 
inhabitants  of  America,  the  great- 
er number  of  species  being  found 
in  the  tropical  regions  of  that 
country. 

Of  these  birds  there  are  many 
species,  of  which  no  less  than  five 
were  living  in  the  Zoological  Gar- 
dens in  a  single  year.  Mr.  Gould, 
in  his  magnificent  work  the  Mon- 
ograph of  the  Rhampliastidcp,  fig- 
ures fifty-one  species,  and  ranks 
them  under  six  genera. 

The  most  extraordinary  part  of 
these  birds  is  the  enormous  beak.  The  Toucan  {Rhamphastos  Arid). 
which  in  some  species,  such  as  the  Toco  Toucan,  is  of  gigantic  di- 
mensions, seeming  big  enough  to  give  its  owner  a  perpetual  headache; 
while  in  others,  such  as  the  Toucanets,  it  is  not  so  large  as  to  attract 
much  attention.  As  in  the  case  of  the  hornbills,  their  beak  is  very 
thin  and  is  strengthened  by  a  vast  number  of  honeycomb-cells,  so  that 
it  is  very  light  and  does  not  incommode  the  bird  in  the  least.  The 
beak  partakes  of  the  brilliant  coloring  which  decorates  the  plumage,  but 
its  beautiful  hues  are  sadly  evanescent,  often  disappearing  or  chang- 
ing so  thoroughly  as  to  give  no  intimation  of  their  former  beauty. 

The  voice  of  the  Toucan  is  hoarse  and  rather  disagreeable,  and  is 
in  many  cases  rather  articulate.  In  one  species  the  cry  resembles  the 
word  "  tucano,"  which  has  given  origin  to  the  peculiar  name  by  which 
the  whole  group  is  designated.  The  birds  have  a  habit  of  sitting  on 
the  branches  in  flocks,  having  a  sentinel  to  guard  them,  and  are  fond 
of  lifting  up  their  beaks,  clattering  them  together,  and  shouting  hoarse- 
ly;  from  which  custom  the  natives  term  them  preacher-birds.  Sometimes 
the  whole  party,  including  the  sentinel,  set  up  a  simultaneous  yell, 
which  is  so  deafeningly  loud  that  it  can  be  heard  at  the  distance  of  a 

35 


410  THE  EINGED  PARRAKEET. 

mile.     They  are  very  loquacious  birds,  and  are  often  discovered  through 
their  perpetual  chattering. 

When  settling  itself  to  sleep  the  Toucan  packs  itself  up  in  a  very 
systematic  manner,  supporting  its  huge  beak  by  resting  it  on  its  back 
and  tucking  it  completely  among  the  feathers,  while  it  doubles  its  tail 
across  its  back,  just  as  if  it  moved  on  a  spring  hinge.  So  completely 
is  the  bill  hidden  among  the  feathers  that  hardly  a  trace  of  it  is  visible, 
in  spite  of  its  great  size  and  bright  color,  and  the  bird  when  sleeping 
looks  like  a  great  baU  of  loose  feathers. 

PARROTS. 

The  general  form  of  the  Parrots  is  too  well  known  to  need  descrip- 
tion. AH  birds  belonging  to  this  large  and  splendid  group  can  be 
recognized  by  the  shape  of  their  beaks,  which  are  large,  and  have  the 
upper  mandible  extensively  curved  and  hanging  far  over  the  lower; 
in  some  species  the  upper  mandible  is  of  extraordinary  length.  The 
tongue  is  short,  thick,  and  fleshy,  and  the  structure  of  this  member 
aids  the  bird  in  no  slight  degree  in  its  singular  powers  of  articulation. 
The  wings  and  tail  are  generally  long,  and  in  some  species,  such  as  the 
Macaws,  the  tail  is  of  very  great  length,  while  in  most  of  the  Parra- 
keets  it  is  longer  than  the  body. 

The  genus  Palseornis,  of  which  the  Ringed  Parrakeet  is  an 
excellent  example,  is  a  very  extensive  one,  and  has  representatives  in 
almost  every  hot  portion  of  the  world,  even  including  Australia. 

The  Ringed  Parrakeet  is  found  in  both  Africa  and  Asia,  the  only 
difference  perceptible  between  the  individuals  brought  from  the  two 
continents  being  that  the  Asiatic  species  is  rather  larger  than  its  African 
relative.  It  has  long  been  the  favorite  of  hiau  as  a  caged  bird,  and 
is  one  of  the  species  to  which  such  frequent  reference  is  made  by  the 
ancient  writers,  the  other  species  being  the  Alexandrine  Ringed  Parra- 
keet (Pakeoniis  Alexandrl). 

This  species  of  Parrakeet  is  not  very  good  at  talking,  though  it  can 
learn  to  repeat  a  few  words,  and  is  very  apt  at  communicating  its  own 
ideas  by  a  language  of  gestures  and  information  especially  its  own.  It 
is,  however,  very  docile,  and  will  soon  learn  any  lesson  that  may  be 
imposed,  even  that  most  difficult  task  to  a  Parrot— remaining  silent 
while  any  one  is  speaking. 

The  general  color  of  this  species  is  grass-green,  variegated  in  the 
adult  male  as  follows :  The  feathers  of  the  forehead  are  light  green, 
which  take  a  bluish  tinge  as  they  approach  the  crown  and  nape  of  the 
neck,  where  they  are  of  a  lovely  purple  blue.  Just  below  the  purple 
runs  a  narrow  band  of  rose-color,  and  immediately  below  the  rosy  line 
is  a  streak  of  black,  which  is  narrow  toward  the  back  of  the  neck,  but 


THE  GRASS  PARRAKEET. 


411 


soon  becomes  broader,  and  envelops  the  cheek  and  chin.  It  does  not 
go  quite  round  the  neck,  as  there  is  an  interval  of  nearly  half  an  inch 
on  the  back  of  the  neck.  The  quill  feathers  of  both  wings  and  tail 
are  darkish  green  ;  the  wings  are  black  beneath,  and  the  tail  yellowish. 

One  of  the  very  prettiest  and  most  interesting  of  the  Parrot  tribe  is 
the  Grass  or  Zebra  Parrakeet,  deriving  its  names  from  its  habits 
and  the  markings  of  its  plumage. 

It  is  a  native  of  Australia,  and  may  be  found  in  almost  all  the  cen- 
tral portions  of  that  land,  whence  it  has  been  imported  in  such  great 
numbers  as  an  inhabitant  of 
our  aviaries  that  when  Dr. 
Bennett  was  last  in  Eng- 
land he  found  that  he  could 
purchase  the  birds  at  a 
cheaper  rate  in  England  than 
in  New  South  Wales.  This 
graceful  little  creature  derives 
its  name  of  Grass  Parrakeet 
from  its  fondness  for  the  grass- 
lands, where  it  may  be  seen  in 
great  numbers,  running  amid 
the  thick  grass-blades,  cling- 
ing to  their  stems  or  feeding  on 
their  seeds.  It  is  always  an 
inland  bird,  being  very  sel- 
dom seen  between  the  moun- 
tain-ranges and  the  coasts. 

The  voice  of  this  bird  is 
quite  unlike  the  rough  screech- 
ing sounds  in  which   Parrots 

seem    to    delight     and    is    a  ^^^^  Warbling  Grass  Parrakeet  [Mel- 
gentle,  soft,  warbhng  kind  of  opsittacus  undulatus). 

song,  which  seems  to  be  con- 
tained within  the  body,  and  is  not  poured  out  with  that  decision  which 
is  usually  found  in  birds  that  can  sing,  however  small  their  efforts 
may  be.  This  song,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  belongs  only  to  the  male 
bird,  who  seems  to  have  an  idea  that  his  voice  must  be  very  agreeable 
to  his  mate,  for  in  light  warm  w^eather  he  will  warble  nearly  all  day 
long,  and  often  pushes  his  beak  almost  into  the  ear  of  his  mate,  so  as 
to  give  her  the  full  benefit  of  his  song. 

The  food  of  this  Parrakeet  consists  almost  chiefly  of  seeds,  those  of 
the  grass-plant  being  their  constant  food  in  their  native  country.  In 
England  they  take  well  to  canary-seed,  and  it  is  somewhat  remarkable 
that  tliey  do  not  pick  up  food  with  their  feet,  but  always  with  their 


412     BLUE-AND-YELLOW  MACAW  AND  THE  CAROLINA  PARROT. 


beaks.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  confine  these  lively  little  birds  in  a 
small  cage,  as  their  wild  habits  are  peculiarly  lively  and  active  and 
require  much  space.  The  difference  between  a  Grass  Parrakeet  when 
in  a  little  cage  and  after  it  has  been  removed  into  a  large  house,  where 
it  has  plenty  of  space  to  move  about,  is  really  wonderful. 

In  its  native  land  it  is  a  migratory  bird,  assembling  after  the  breed- 
ing season  in  enormous  flocks  as  a  preparation  for  an  intended  journey. 
The  general  number  of  the  eggs  is  three  or  four,  and  they  are  merely 
laid  in  the  holes  of  the  gum  tree,  without  requiring  a  nest. 

The  Macaws  are  mostly  inhabitants  of  Southern  America,  in  which 
country  so  many  magnificent  birds  find  their  home. 

They  are  all  very  splendid  birds,  and  are  remarkable  for  their  great 
size,  their  very  long  tails,  and  the  splendid  hues  of  their  plumage.    The 

beak  is  also  very  large  and  powerful, 
and  in  some  species  the  ring  round  the 
eyes  and  part  of  the  face  are  devoid  of 
covering.  As  their  habits  are  all  very 
similar,  only  one  example  has  been  fig- 
ured. This  is  the  great  Blue-and- 
Yellow  Macaw,  a  bird  which  is 
found  mostly  in  Demerara.  It  is  a 
wood-loving  bird,  particularly  haunt- 
ing those  places  where  the  ground  is 
wet  and  swampy,  and  where  grows  a 
certain  palm,  on  the  fruit  of  which  it 
chiefly  feeds. 

The  wings  of  this  species  are  strong, 
and  the  long  tail  is  so  firmly  set  that 
considerable  powers  of  flight  are  man- 
ifested. The  Macaws  often  fly  at  a 
very  great  elevation,  in 'large  flocks, 
and  are  fond  of  executing  sundry  aerial 
evolutions  before  they  alight.  With 
one  or  two  exceptions  they  care  little 
for  the  ground,  and  are  generally  seen 
on  the  summits  of  the  highest  trees. 

Another  species  of  Macaw,  the  Car- 
olina Parrot,  is  found  in  the  more 
northern  portions  of  America.       This 
bird    is   much    more    hardy   than   the 
ra™7  ^^^"'^''^  g^^^^^lity    of   the    Parrot*  tribe,   and 
has    been    noticed    flymg    along    the 
banks  of  the  Ohio  in  the  midst  of  a  snow-storm  and  in  full  cry. 
The  Carolina  Parrot  is  chiefly  found  in  those  parts  of  the  coun- 


The  Bjji;-  ax 

{Ara  Arcuauna). 


THE  GRAY   PARROT.  413 

try  which  abound  most  in  rich  alluvial  soils  on  which  grow  the  cockle- 
burrs  so  dear  to  the  Parrot  and  so  hated  by  the  farmer.  The  general 
color  of  this  bird  is  green,  washed  with  blue  and  diversified  with  other 
tints.     The  total  length  of  this  species  is  about  twenty-one  inches. 

The  true  Parrots  constitute  a  group  which  are  easily  recognized  by 
their  short  squared  tails, 
the  absence  of  any  crest 
upou  the  head,  and  the 
toothed  edges  of  the  upper 
mandible. 

The  Gray  Parrot  has 
long  been  celebrated  for 
its  wonderful  powers  of 
imitation  and  its  excellent 
memory. 

It  is  a  native  of  Western 
Africa,  and  is  one  of  the 
commonest  inhabitants  of 
our  aviaries,  being  brought 
over  in  great  numbers  by 
sailors,  and  always  finding 
a  ready  sale  as  soon  as  the 
vessel  arrives  in  port. 

Its  power  of  imitating  all 
kinds  of  sounds  is  really 
astonishing.  I  have  heard 
a   parrot  imitate,  or  rather   ^he  Carolina  Parrot  [Psiltaaus  Carolinensis) . 

reproduce,  in  rapid  succession  the  most  dissimilar  of  sounds,  without 
the  least  effort  and  with  the  most  astonishing  truthfulness.  He  could 
whistle  lazily  like  a  street-idler,  cry  prawns  and  shrimps  as  well  as  any 
costermonger,  creak  like  an  ungreased  "sheave"  in  the  pulley  that  is 
set  in  the  blocks  through  which  ropes  run  for  sundry  nautical  purposes, 
or  keep  up  a  quiet  and  gentle  monologue  about  his  own  accomplish- 
ments with  a  simplicity  of  attitude  that  was  most  absurd. 

Even  in  the  imitation  of  louder  noises  he  was  equally  expert,  and 
could  sound  the  danger-whistle  or  blow  ofi*  steam  with  astonishing  ac- 
curacy. Until  I  came  to  understand  the  bird,  I  used  to  wonder  why 
some  invisible  person  was  always  turning  an  imperceptible  capstan  in 
my  close  vicinity,  for  the  Parrot  had  also  learned  to  imitate  the  grind- 
ing of  the  capstan-bars  and  the  metallic  clink  of  the  catch  as  it  falls 
rapidly  upon  the  cogs. 

As  for  the  ordinary  accomplishments  of  Parrots,  he  possessed  them 
in  perfection,  but  in  my  mind  his  most  perfect  performance  was  the  im- 
itation of  a  dog  having  his  foot  run  over  by  a  cart-wheel.     First  there 

35* 


414 


THE  GKAY  PAKROT. 


came  the  sudden  half-frightened  bark  as  the  beast  found  itself  in  un- 
expected danger,  and  then  the  loud  shriek  of  pain,  followed  by  the 
series  of  howls  that  is  popularly  termed  "  pen  and  ink."  Lastly,  the 
howls  grew  fainter  as  the  dog  was  supposed  to  be  limping  away,  and 
you  really  seemed  to  hear  him  turn  the  corner  and  retreat  into  the  dis- 
tance. The  memory  of  the  bird  must  have  been  most  tenacious,  and 
its  powers  of  observation  far  beyond  the  common  order,  for  he  could 
nut  have  bec-u  witness  to  such  a  canine  accident  more  than  once. 


The  Gray  Parrot  {Psittacus  erythacus). 

The  food  of  this  parrot  consists  chiefly  of  seeds  of  various  kinds,  and 
in  captivity  may  be  varied  to  some  extent.  Hemp-seed,  grain,  canary- 
seed,  and  the  cones  of  fir  trees  are  favorite  articles  of  diet.  Of  the 
cones  it  is  especially  fond,  nibbling  them  to  pieces  when  they  are  young 
and  tender,  but  when  they  are  old  and  ripe  breaking  awav  the  hard 
scales  and  scooping  out  the  seeds  with  its  very  ^useful  tongue.  Haw- 
thorn-berries are  very  good  for  the  Parrot,  as  are  several  vegetables. 


THE  AMAZON  GKEEN  PARROT  AND  THE  COCKATOOS.      415 

These,  however,  should  be  given  with  great  caution,  as  several,  such  as 
parsley  and  chickweed,  are  exceedingly  hurtful. 

When  proper  precautions  are  taken,  the  Parrot  is  one  of  our  hardi- 
est cage-birds,  and  will  live  to  a  great 
age  even  in  captivity.  Some  of  these 
birds  have  been  known  to  attain  an 
age  of  sixty  or  seventy  years,  and  one 
^  hich  was  seen  by  Le  Vaillant  had  at- 
tained the  patriarchal  age  of  ninety-three. 
At  sixty  its  memory  began  to  fail,  and  at 
sixty-five  the  moult  became  very  irreg- 
ular and  the  tail  changed  to  yellow.  At 
ninety  it  was  a  very  decrepit  creature,  al- 
most blind  and  quite  silent,  having  for- 
gotten its  former  abundant  stock  of 
words. 

The  general  color  of  this  bird  is  a  very 
pure  ashen  gray,  except  the  tail,  which  is 
deep  scarlet.  '^^^  Sulphur-crested  Cock- 

rA  '•  ^   /^  T»  ATOO  (Cacatua  qalerita). 

Two   species  of   Green   Parrot  are  ^  ^ 

tolerably  common,  the  one  being  the  Festive  Green  Parrot,  and  the 
other  the  Amazon  Green  Parrot. 

The  Amazon  Green  Parrot  is  the  species  most  commonly  seen  in 
England.  It  is  a  native  of  Southern  America,  and  especially  frequents 
the  banks  of  the  Amazon.  It  is  not,  however,  so  retiring  in  its  habits 
"  as  most  Parrots,  and  will  often  leave  the  woods  for  the  sake  of  prey- 
ing upon  the  orange-plantations,  among  which  it  works  great  havoc.  Its 
nest  is  made  in  the  decayed  trunks  of  trees. 

As  a  general  fact,  it  is  not  so  apt  at  learning  and  repeating  phrases 
as  the  Gray  Parrot,  but  I  have  known  more  than  one  instance  where 
its  powers  of  speech  could  hardly  be  exceeded,  and  very  seldom  rivalled. 
One  of  these  birds,  which  used  to  live  in  a  little  garden  into  which  my 
window  looked,  was,  on  our  first  entrance  into  the  house,  the  cause  of 
much  perplexity  to  ourselves  and  the  servants.  The  nursery-maid's 
name  was  Sarah,  and  the  unfortunate  girl  was  continually  running  up 
and  down  stairs,  fancying  herself  called  by  one  of  the  children  in  dis- 
tress. The  voice  of  the  Parrot  was  just  that  of  a  child,  and  it  would 
call  "Sarah!"  in  every  imaginable  tone,  varying  from  a  mere  enunci- 
ation of  the  name,  as  if  in  conversation,  to  angry  remonstrance,  petu- 
lant peevishness,  or  sudden  terror. 

The  Cockatoos  are  very  familiar  birds,  as  several  species  are  com- 
mon inhabitants  of  our  aviaries,  where  they  create  much  amusement 
by  their  grotesque  movements,  their  exceeding  love  of  approbation,  and 
their  repeated  mention  of  their  own  name.     Wherever  two  or  three  of 


416  HABITS  OF  THE  COCKATOO. 

these  birds  are  found  in  the  same  apartment,  however  silent  they  may 
be  when  left  alone,  the  presence  of  a  visitor  excites  them  to  immedi- 
ate conversation,  and  the  air  resounds  with  "Cockatoo!"  "Pretty 
Cocky!"  in  all  directions,  diversified  with  an  occasional  yell  if  the 
utterer  be  not  immediately  noticed. 

They  are  confined  to  the  Eastern  Archipelago  and  Australia,  in 
which  latter  country  a  considerable  number  of  large  and  splendid  spe- 
cies is  found.  The  nesting-place  of  the  Cockatoos  is  always  in  the 
holes  of  decaying  trees,  and  by  means  of  their  very  powerful  beaks 
they  tear  away  the  wood  until  they  have  enlarged  the  hollow  to  their 
liking.  Their  food  consists  almost  wholly  of  fruits  and  seeds,  and  they 
are  often  very  great  pests  to  the  agriculturist,  settling  in  large  flocks 


Cockatoos. 

upon  the  fields  of  maize  and  corn,  and  devouring  the  ripened  ears  or 
disinterring  the  newly-sown  seeds  with  hearty  good-will.  The  wrath 
of  the  farmer  is  naturally  aroused  by  these"^  frequent  raids,  and  the 
Cockatoos  perish  annually  in  great  numbers  from  the  constant  perse- 
cution to  which  they  are  subjected,  their  nests  being  destroved  and 
themselves  shot  and  trapped. 

To  those,  however,  who  own  no  land  and  are  anxious  about  no  crops, 
a  flock  of  Cockatoos  is  a  most  beautiful  and  welcome  sight  as  the  birds 
flit  among  the  heavy-leaved  trees  of  the  Australian  forest,  their  pinky- 
white  plumage  relieved  against  the  dark  masses  of  umbrageous  shade 
as  they  appear  and  vanish  among  the  branches  like  the  bright  visions 
of  a  dream. 


LEADBEATER'S  COCKATOO. 


417 


The  remarkably  handsome  bird  which  is  represented  below  is  a  na- 
tive of  Australia.  It  is  called  by  several  names,  such  as  the  Tricolor 
Crested  Cockatoo  and  the  Pink  Cockatoo,  by  which  name  it  is 
known  to  the  colonists.  The  title  of  Leadbeater's  Cockatoo  was 
given  to  the  bird  in  honor  of  the  well-known  naturalist,  who  possessed 
the  first  specimen  brought  to  England. 

It  is  not  so  noisy  as  the  common  species,  and  may  possibly  prove  a 
favorite  inhabitant  of  our  aviaries,  its  soft  blush-white  plumage  ?nd 
splendid  crest  well 
meriting  the  atten- 
tion of  bird-fanciers. 
The  crest  is  remark- 
able for  its  great  de- 
velopment, and  for 
the  manner  in  which 
the  bird  can  raise  it 
like  a  fan  over  its 
head  or  depress  it 
upon  the  back  of  its 
neck  at  will.  In 
either  case  it  has  a 
very  fine  effect,  and 
especially  so  when  it 
is  elevated  and  the 
bird  is  excited  with 
anger  or  pleasure. 

The  general  color 
of  this  bird  is  white 
with  a  slight  pinkish 
flush.  Round  the 
base  of  the  beak 
runs  a  very  narrow 
crimson  line,  and  the 
feathers  of  the  crest 
are  long  and  pointed, 
each  feather  being 
crimson  at  the  base, 
then  broadly  barred 
with  golden  yellow, 
then  with  crimson, 
and    the    remainder 

is  white.  The  neck,  breast,  flanks,  and  under  tail-coverts  are  deeply 
stained  with  crimson,  and  the  under  surface  of  the  wing  is  deep  crim- 
son-red.    The  beak  is  pale  grayish  white,  the  eyes  brown,  and  the  feet 

2  B 


Leadbeater's  Cockatoo  (Cacafua  Leodbeateri). 


418      SULPHUR-CRESTED  COCKATOO. AND  THE  WOODPECKERS. 

and  legs  dark  gray,  each  scale  being  edged  with  a  lighter  tint.     In  size 
it  is  rather  superior  to  the  common  White  Cockatoo. 

The  species  of  Cockatoo  which  is  most  common  in^  England  is  the 
Sulphur-Crested  Cockatoo,  a  representation  of  which  will  be  found 

on  page  415. 

This  bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  different  parts  of  Australia,  and  is  es- 
pecially common  in  Van  Piemen's  Laud,  where  it  may  be  found  in 
flocks  of  a  thousand  in  number.  Owing  to  the  ease  with  which  it  is 
obtained  it  is  frequently  brought  to  England,  and  is  held  in  much  es- 
timation as  a  pet. 

The  color  of  this  species  is  white,  with  the  exception  of  the  crest, 
which  is  of  a  bright  sulphur-yellow,  and  the  under  surface  of  the  wings 
and  the  basal  portions  of  the  inner  webs  of  the  tail-feathers,  which  are 
of  the  same  color,  but  much  paler  in  hue.  The  total  length  of  this 
species  is  about  eighteen  inches. 

We  now  take  our  leave  of  the  Parrots,  and  come  to  a  very  interest- 
ing family  of  scansorial  birds,  known  popularly  as  Woodpeckers  and 
scientifically  as  Picidse. 

As  is  well  known,  the. name  of  Woodpecker  is  given  to  these  birds 
from  their  habit  of  pecking  among  the  decaying  wood  of  trees  in  order 
to  feed  upon  the  insects  that  are  found  within.  They  also  chip  away 
the  wood  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  holes  or  tunnels  wherein  their 
eggs  are  deposited.  In  order  to  enable  them  to  perform  these  duties, 
the  structure  of  the  Woodpecker  is  very  curiously  modified.  The  feet 
are  extremely  powerful,  and  the  claws  are  strong  and  sharply  hooked 
so  that  the  bird  can  retain  a  firm  hold  of  the  tree  to  w^hich  it  is  cling- 
ing while  it  works  away  at  the  bark  or  wood  with  its  bill.  The  tail, 
too,  is  furnished  with  very  stiff  and  pointed  feathers,  which  are  pressed 
against  the  bark,  and  form  a  kind  of  support  on  which  the  bird  can 
rest  a  large  proportion  of  its  weight.  The  breast-bone  is  not  so  prom- 
inent as  in  the  generality  of  flying  birds,  in  order  to  enable  the  AVood- 
peckerto  press  its  breast  closely  to  the  tree,  and  the  beak  is  long,  strong, 
and  sharp. 

These  modifications  aid  the  bird  in  cutting  away  the  wood,  but  there 
is  yet  a  provision  needful  to  render  the  Woodpecker  capable  of  seizing 
the  little  insects  on  which  it  feeds,  and  which  lurk  in  small  holes  and 
crannies  into  which  the  beak  of  tlie  Woodpecker  could  not  penetrate. 
This  structure  is  shown  when  a  Woodpecker's  head  is  carefully  dissect- 
ed. The  tongue  or  "  hyoid  "  bones  are  greatly  lengthened,  and  pass 
over  the  top  of  the  head,  being  fastened  in  the  skull  just  above  the 
right  nostril.  These  long,  tendinous-looking  bones  are  accompanied  by 
a  narrow  strip  of  muscle,  by  which  they  are  moved. 

The  tongue  is  furnished  at  the  tip  with  a  long  horny  appendage  cov- 
ered with  barbs  and  sharply  pointed  at  the  extremity,  so  that  the  bird 


THE  GREAT  SPOTTED  WOODPECKER. 


419 


is  enabled  to  project  this  instrument  to  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
bill,  transfix  an  insect,  and  draw  it  into  the  mouth.  Those  insects  that 
are  too  small  to  be  thus  treated  are  captured  by  means  of  a  glutinous 
liquid  poured  upon  the  tongue  from  certain  glands  within  the  mouth, 
and  which  cause  the  little  insects  to  adhere  to  the  weapon  suddenly  pro- 
jected among  them.     Some  authors  deny  the  transfixion. 

The  Great  Spotted  Woodpecker  is  one  of  the  five  British  species, 
and  is  also  known  by  the  names  of  Frenchpie  and  Woodpie. 

It  is  found  in  many  parts  of  England,  and,  like  the  other  Woodpeck- 
ers, must  be  sought  in  the  forests  and  woods  rather  than  in  orchards 
and  gardens.  Like  other  shy  birds,  however,  it  soon  finds  out  where 
it  may  take  up  its  abode  unmolested,  and  will  occasionally  make  its 


Lewis's  Woodpeckkr 
{Piciu^  torquatus). 


Red-bellied  Woodpecker 

{Ficus  Carolinus). 


nest  in  some  cultivated  ground,  where  it  has  the  instinctive  assurance 
of  safety,  rather  than  entrust  itself  to  the  uncertain  security  of  the 
forest. 

Although  the  Woodpeckers  were  formerly  much  persecuted  under 
the  idea  that  they  killed  the  trees  by  pecking  holes  in  them,  they  are 
most  useful  birds,  cutting  away  the  decaying  wood  as  a  surgeon  removes 
a  gangrened  spot,  and  eating  the  hosts  of  insects  which  encamp  in  dead 
or  dying  wood,  and  would  soon  bring  the  whole  tree  to  the  ground. 
They  do  not  confine  themselves  to  trees,  but  seek  their  food  wherever 
they  can  find  it,  searching  old  posts  and  rails,  and  especially  delighting 
in  those  trees  that  are  much  infested  with  the  green-fly,  or  aphis,  as  the 
wood-ants  swarm  in  such  trees  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  "  honey- 


420  THE  GREAT  SPOTTED  WOODPECKER. 

dew"  as  it  distils  from  the  aphides,  aod  then  the  Woodpeckers  eat  the 
ants.  Those  destructive  creatures  generally  called  wood-lice,  and  known 
to  boys  as  "  monkey-peas,"  are  a  favorite  article  of  diet  with  the  Wood- 
peckers, to  whom  our  best  thanks  are  therefore  due. 

But  the  Woodpeckers,  although  living  mostly  on  insects,  do  not  con- 
fine themselves  wholly  to  that  diet,  but  are  very  fond  of  fruits,  always 
choosing  the  ripest. 

As  is  the  case  with  all  its  congeners,  the  Great  Spotted  Woodpecker 
lays  its  eggs  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree. 

The  locality  chosen  for  this  purpose  is  carefully  selected,  and  is  a 
tunnel  excavated,  or  at  all  events  altered,  by  the  bird  for  the  special 
purpose  of  nidification.  Before  commencing  the  operation  the  Wood- 
peckers always  find  out  whether  the  tree  is  sound  or  rotten,  and  they 
can  ascertain  the  latter  fact  even  through  several  layers  of  sound  wood. 
When  they  have  fixed  upon  a  site  for  their  domicile,  they  set  deterrai- 
nately  to  work,  and  speedily  cut  out  a  circular  tunnel  just  large  enough 
to  admit  their  bodies,  but  no  larger.  Sometimes  this  tuunel  is  tolerably 
straight,  but  it  generally  turns  off  in  another  direction. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  hole  the  female  bird  collects  the  little  chips  of 
decayed  wood  that  have  been  cutoff  during  the  boring  process,  and  de- 
posits her  eggs  upon  them,  without  any  attempt  at  nest-making.  Some 
excellent  examples  of  these  nests  are  in  the  British  Museum.  The  eggs 
are  generally  five  in  number,  but  six  have  been  taken  from  the  nest  of 
this  species. 

Generally  the  nests  of  birds  are  kept  scrupulously  clean,  but  that  of 
the  Woodpecker  is  a  sad  exception  to  the  rule,  the  amount  of  filth  and 
potency  of  stench  being  quite  beyond  human  endurance.  The  color  of 
the  eggs  is  white  and  their  surface  glossy,  and  they  are  remarkable, 
when  fresh,  for  some  very  faint  and  very  narrow  lines,  which  run 
longitudinally  down  the  shell  toward  the  small  end. 

The  general  color  of  this  species  is  black  and  white,  curiously  dis- 
posed, with  the  exception  of  the  back  of  the  head,  which  is  light  scar- 
let, and  contrasts  strongly  with  the  sober  hues  of  the  body.  Taking 
the  black  to  be  the  ground  color,  the  white  is  thus  arranged :  The 
forehead  and  ear-coverts,  a  patch  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  the  scap- 
ularies  and  part  of  the  wing-coverts,  several  little  squared  spots  on  the 
wings,  and  large  patches  on  the  tail,  are  pure  white.  The  throat  and 
the  whole  of  the  under  surface  are  also  white,  but  with  a  grayish 
cast,  and  the  under  tail-coverts  are  red.  The  total  length  of  the 
adult  male  is  rather  more  than  nine  inches.  The  female  has  no 
red  on  the  head,  and  the  young  birds  of  the  first  year  are  remark- 
able for  having  the  back  of  the  head  black  and  the  top  of  the  head 
red,  often  mixed  with  a  few  little  black  feathers. 

The  Downy  Woodpecker  derives  its  name  from  the  strip  of  loose, 


THE  RED-HEADED  WCX)DPECKER. 


421 


downy  feathers  which  passes  along  its  back.     It  is  a  native  of  America, 
and  very  plentiful  in  various  parts  of  that  country. 

Although  a  little  bird — less  than  seven  inches  in  length — it  is  a  truly 
handsome  one.  The  crown  of  the  head  is  velvety  black,  its  back  deep 
scarlet,  and  there  is  a  white  streak  over  the  eye.  The  back  is  black, 
but  is  divided  by  a  lateral  stripe  of  puffy  or  downy  white  feathers. 
The  wings  are  black,  spotted  with  white,  and  the  tail  is  also  varie- 
gated with  the  same  tints.  From  the  base  of  the  beak  a  black  streak 
runs  down  the  neck.  The  sides  of  the  neck,  the  throat,  and  the  whole 
of  the  under  parts  of  the  body  are  white.  The  nostrils  are  thickly 
covered  with  small  bristly  feathers,  probably  to  protect  them  from  the 
chips  of  wood  struck  off  by 
the  beak.  The  female  is 
known  by  the  grayish  white 
of  the  abdomen  and  the  ab- 
sence of  red  upon  its  head. 

America  possesses  many 
species  of  these  birds, 
among  which  the  Red- 
Headed  Woodpecker 
deserves  a  short  notice,  as 
being  a  good  representa- 
tion of  the  Black  Wood- 
peckei-s.  It  is  one  of  the 
commonest  of  American 
birds,  bold,  fearless  of 
man,  and  even  venturing 
within  the  precincts  of 
towns. 

The  adult  male  is  a 
really  beautiful  bird,  its 
plumage  glowing  with 
steely  black,  snowy  white, 
and  brilliant  scarlet,  dis- 
posed as  follows :  The 
head  and   neck   are   deep 

scarlet,      and      the      upper  Woodpecker 

parts  of  the  body  are  black,  with  a  steel-blue  gloss.  The  upper  tail- 
coverts,  the  secondaries,  the  breast,  and  abdomen  are  pure  white.  The 
beak  is  light  blue,  deepening  into  black  toward  the  tip ;  the  legs  and 
feet  are  blue-green,  the  claws  blue,  and  round  the  eye  there  is  a 
patch  of  bare  skin  of  a  dusky  color.  The  female  is  colored  like  her 
mate,  except  that  her  tints  are  not  so  brilliant.  The  young  of  the  first 
year  have  the  head  and  neck  blackish  gray,  and  the  white  on  the  wings 
36 


Woodpeckers. 
1.    Red-headed     W^oodpecker.        2.    Yellow-bellied 
Woodpecker.       3.    Hairy    Woodpecker.       4.    Downy 


422        THE  GKEEN  WOODPECKER   AND  THE  WRYNECK. 


is  variegated  with  black.     The  total  length  of  this  bird  is  between  nine 
and  ten  inches. 

The  commonest  of  the  British  Woodpeckers  is  that  which  is  generally 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Green  Woodpecker.  It  has,  however, 
many  popular  titles,  such  as  Rain-bird,  Wood-spite,  Hew-hole,  and 
Wood-walh  This  bird  is  our  representative  of  the  Gecinse,  or  Green 
Woodpeckers. 

Although  the  Green  Woodpecker  is  a  haunter  of  woods  and  forests, 
it  will  sometimes  leave  those  favored  localities  and  visit  the  neighbor- 
hood of  man.  The  grounds  between  the  Isis  and  Mertou  College, 
Oxford,  are  rather  fiivorite  resorts  of  this  pretty  bird. 

The  name  of  R;iin-bird  has  been  given  to  this  species  because  it 
becomes  very  vociferous  at  the  approach  of  wet  weather,  and  is,  as  Mr. 
Yarrell  well  observes,  "  a  living  barometer  to  good  observers."  Most 
birds,  however,  will  answer  the  same  purpose  to  those  who  know  how 
and  where  to  look  for  them.  The  other  titles  are  equally  appropriate, 
Wood-spite  being  clearly  a  corruption  of  the  German  term  specht, 
Hew-hole  speaks  for  itself,  and  Wood-wall  is  an  ancient  name  for  the 
bird,  occurring  in  the  old  English  poets. 

The  other  British  species  are  the  Great  Black  Woodpecker  (Dryocopus 
Martins),  the  Northern  Three-toed  Woodpecker  [Flcoides  tridactylus), 
and  the  Lesser  Spotted  Woodpecker  (Plcus  minor). 

The  curious  bird  known  under  the  popular  and  appropriate  name  of 
the  Wryneck  is  by  some  considered  to  be  closely  allied  to  the  Wood- 
peckers. 

The  Wryneck  is  a  summer  visitant  to  this  country,  appearing  just 
before  the  cuckoo,  and  therefore  known  in  some  parts  of  England  as 

the  cuckoo's  footman.  There 
is  a  Welsh  name  for  this  bird, 
signifying  "cuckoo's  knave" 
—  Gwas-y-gog. 

The  tongue  of  this  bird  is 
long,  slender,  and  capable  of 
being  projected  to  the  distance 
of  an  inch  or  so  from  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  beak,  and  its 
construction  is  almost  exactly 
...  -       .  the  same  as  that  of  the  tongue 

ot  the  woodpecker.  As  might  be  supposed,  it  is  emploved  for  the  same 
purpose,  being  used  in  capturing  little  insects,  of  which  ants  form  its 
favorite  diet  So  fond,  indeed,  is  the  Wrvneck  of  these  insects  that  in 
some  parts  of  England  it  is  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  Emmet- 
Aunter.  In  pursuit  of  ants  it  trips  nimbly  about  the  trunks  and 
branches  of  trees,  picking  them  off  neatly  wiUi  its  tongue  as  thev  run 


TnE  Wryneck  [Yanx  torquilla). 


THE  CUCKOOS.  423 

their  untiring  couree.  It  also  frequents  ant-hills,  especially  when  the 
insects  are  bringing  out  their  pupae  to  lie  in  the  sun,  and  swallows  ants 
and  pupse  at  a  great  pace.  When  the  ants  remain  within  their  fortress 
the  Wryneck  pecks  briskly  at  the  hillock  until  it  breaks  its  way  through 
the  fragile  walls  of  the  nest,  and  as  the  warlike  insects  come  rushing 
out  to  attack  the  intruder  of  their  home  and  to  repair  damages,  it 
makes  an  excellent  meal  of  them  in  spite  of  their  anger  and  their 
stings. 

When  ants  are  scarce  and  scantily  spread  over  the  ground,  the 
Wryneck  runs  after  them  in  a  very  agile  fashion ;  but  when  it  comes 
upon  a  well-stocked  spot,  it  stands  motionless,  with  the  exception  of  the 
head,  which  is  darted  rapidly  in  every  direction,  the  neck  and  central  line 
of  the  back  twisting  in  a  manner  that  reminds  the  observer  of  a  snake. 
When  captured  or  wounded  it  will  lie  on  its  back,  ruffle  up  its  feathers, 
erect  its  neck,  and  hiss  so  like  an  angry  serpent  that  it  is  in  some  places 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Snake-bird. 

The  nest  of  the  Wryneck  is  hardly  deserving  of  that  name,  being 
merely  composed  of  chips  of  decaying  wood.  The  eggs  are  laid  in  the 
hollow  of  a  tree,  not  wholly  excavated  by  the  bird,  as  is  the  case  with 
the  woodpeckers,  its  beak  not.  being  sufficiently  strong  for  such  a  task, 
but  adapted  to  the  purpose  from  some  already  existing  hole. 

The  number  of  eggs  laid  by  the  Wryneck  is  rather  great,  as  many 
as  ten  having  often  been  found  in  a  single  nest.  In  one  instance  no  less 
than  twenty-two  eggs  were  taken  at  four  intervals.  Their  color  is 
beautiful  white  with  a  pinky  tinge,  not  unlike  those  of  the  kingfisher; 
and,  as  this  pink  color  is  produced  by  the  yolk  showing  itself  through 
the  delicate  shelly  it  is,  of  course,  lost  when  the  egg  is  emptied  of  its 
contents.  The  plumage  of  this  little  bird,  although  devoid  of  bril- 
liant hues  and  decked  only  with  brown,  black,  and  gray,  is  really 
handsome,  from  the  manner  in  which  these  apparently  sombre  tints 
are  disposed. 

The  Cuckoos  constitute  a  large  family,  containing  several  smaller 
groups  and  many  species.  Two  representatives  of  the  groups  are 
figured.  All  these  birds  have  a  rather  long,  slender,  and  somewhat 
curved  beak,  which  in  some  species  takes  a  curve  so  decided  that  it 
gives  quite  a  predaceous  air  to  its  owner.  Examples  of  the  Cuckoo 
tribe  are  to  be  found  in  almost  every  portion  of  the  globe,  and  are 
most  plentiful  about  the  tropics. 

There  are  few  birds  which  are  more  widely  known  by  good  and  evil 
report  than  the  common  Cuckoo. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  female  Cuckoo  does  not  make  any  nest, 
but  places  her  egg  in  the  nest  of  some  small  bird,  and  leaves  it  to  the 
care  of  its  unwitting  foster-parents.  Various  birds  are  burdened  with 
this  charge,  such  as  the  hedge-warbler,  the  pied  wagtail,  the  meadow- 


424 


THE  CUCKOO. 


pipit,  the  red-backed  shrike,  the  blackbird,  and  various  finches. 
Generally,  however,  the  first  three  are  those  preferred.  Considering 
the  size  of  the  mother-bird,  the  egg  of  the  Cuckoo  is  remarkably 
small,  being  about  the  same  size  as  that  of  the  skylark,  although  the 
latter  bird  has  barely  one-fourth  the  dimensions  of  the  former.  The  lit- 
tle birds,  therefore,  which  are  always  careless  about  the  color  or  form  of 
an  egg,  provided  that  it  be  nearly  the  size  of  their  own  productions, 

do  not  detect  the  imposi- 
tion, and  hatch  the  inter- ^ 
loper  together  with  their 
own  young. 

The  general  color  of  the 
Cuckoo's  egg  is  mottled 
reddish  gray,  but  the  tint 
is  very  variable  in  different 
individuals,  as  I  can  testify 
from  personal  experience. 
It  has  also  been  noted  that 
the  color  of  the  egg  varies 
with  the  species  in  whose 
nest  it  is  to  be  placed,  so 
that  the  egg  which  is  in- 
tended to  be  hatched  by 
the  hedge-warbler  is  not 
precisely  of  the  same  color 
as  that  which  is  destined 
for  the  nest  of  the  pipit. 

The  mode  by  which  the 
Cuckoo  contrives  to  de- 
posit her  eggs  in  the  nest 
of  sundry  birds  was  ex- 
tremely dubious  until  a 
key  was  found  to  the  prob- 
lem by  a  chance  discovery  made  by  Le  Vaillant.  He  had  shot  a 
female  Cuckoo,  and  on  opening  its  mouth  in  order  to  stuflT  it  with 
tow,  he  found  an  egg  lodged  very  snugly  within  the  throat. 

The  peculiar  note  of  the  Cuckoo  is  so  well  known  as  to  need  no  par- 
ticular description,  but  the  public  is  not  quite  so  flimiliar  with  the 
fact  that  the  note  changes  according  to  the  time  of  year.  When  the 
bird  first  begins  to  sing  the  notes  are  full  and  clear,  but  toward  the 
end  of  the  season  they  become  hesitating,  hoarse,  and  broken,  like  the 
breaking  voice  of  a  young  lad.  This  peculiarity  was  noticed  long  ago 
by  observant  persons,  and  many  are  the  country  rhymes  which  bear 
allusion  to  the  voice  and  the  sojourn  of  the  Cuckoo.     For  example: 


Cuckoos. 

1.  Carolina  Cuckoo.       2.  Black-billed  Cuckoo. 


THE  PIGEONS. 


426 


"  In  April 
Come  lie  will ; 
]n  May 

He  sings  all  day ; 
In  June 


He  alters  his  tune ; 

In  July 

He  prepares  to  fly  ; 

In  August 

Go  he  must." 


In  general  appearance  the  Cuckoo  bears  some  resemblance  to  a  bird 
of  prey,  but  it  has  little  of  the  predaceous  nature.  It  is  rather  curious 
that  small  birds  have  a  tendency  to  treat  the  Cuckoo  much  as  they 
treat  the  hawks  and  owls,  following  it  wherever  it  flies  in  the  open 
country,  and  attending  it  through  the  air. 

The  color  of  the  plumage  is  bluish  gray  above,  with  the  exception 
of  the  wings  and  tail,  which  are  black  and  barred  with  white  on  the 
exterior  feathers.  The  chin,  neck,  and  breast  are  ashen  gray,  and  the 
abdomen  and  under  wing-coverts  are  white  barred  with  slaty  gray. 


COLUMB^,  OR  DOVES  AND  PIGEONS. 

The  large  order  of  Columbse,  or  the  Pigeon  tribe,  now  comes  under 
our  notice.  It  contains  many  beautiful  and  interesting  birds,  but,  as 
its  members  are  so  extremely  numerous,  only  a  few  typical  examples 
can  be  mentioned. 

All  the  Pigeons  may  be  distinguished  from  the  poultry,  and  the  gallina- 
ceous birds  in  general,  by 
the  form  of  the  bill,  which 
is  arched  toward  the  tip 
and  has  a  convex  swell- 
ing at  the  base,  caused  by 
a  gristly  kind  of  plate 
which  covers  the  nasal 
cavities,  and  which  in 
some  species  is  very  curi- 
ously developed. 

Among  the  most  extra- 
ordinary of  birds  the  Pas- 
senger Pigeon  may  take 
very  high  rank,  not  on  ac-  /.^^^^.y/.T'M^I^^^^  * 

count  of  its  size  or  beautv,  „       ^  '  /r.    •,       •     7      v 

1     ^  ,  p  ^,  "    The  Passenge-r  Pigeon  (Ectopisies  migratonus). 

but  because  oi  the  extra- 
ordinary multitudes  in  which  it  sometimes  migrates  from  one  place  to 
another.  The  scenes  which  take  place  during  these  migrations  are 
so  strange,  so  wonderful,  and  so  entirely  unlike  any  events  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  that  they  could  not  be  believed  but  for  the  trust- 
worthy testimony  by  which  they  are  corroborated. 

Wilson,  who  was  fortunate  enough  to  witness  some  of  these  migra- 

36* 


426  THE  STOCK-DOVE. 

tions,  has  written  a  most  vivid  account  of  them.  After  professing  his 
belief  that  the  chief  object  of  the  migration  is  the  search  after  food, 
and  that  the  birds,  having  devoured  all  the  nutriment  in  one  part  of 
the  country,  take  wing  in  order  to  feed  on  the  beech-mast  of  another 
region,  he  proceeds  to  describe  a  breeding-place  seen  by  himself  in  Ken- 
tucky, which  was  several  miles  in  breadth,  wag  said  to  be  nearly  forty 


Pigeons. 

1.  White-crowned  Pigeon.     2.  Zenaida  Dove. 

miles  in  length,  and  in  which  every  tree  was  absolut(!ly  loaded  with 
nests.  All  the  smaller  branches  were  destroyed  by  the  birds,  many  of 
the  large  limbs  were  broken  off  and  thrown  on  the  ground,  while  no 
few  of  the  grand  forest  trees  themselves  were  killed  as  surely  as  if  the 
axe  had  been  employed  for  their  destruction.  The  Pigeons  had  arrived 
about  the  10th  of  April,  and  left  by  the  end  of  May. 

The  Stock-Dove  derives  its  name  from  its  habit  of  building  its  nest 
in  the  stocks  or  stumps  of  trees.  It  is  one  of  our  British  Pigeons,  and 
is  tolerably  common  in  many  parts  of  England. 

It  is  seldom  found  far  northward,  and  even  when  it  does  visit  such 
localities  it  is  only  as  a  summer  resident,  making  its  nest  in  warmer 
districts.  As  has  already  been  mentioned,  the  nest  of  this  species  is 
made  in  the  stocks  or  stumps  of  trees,  the  birds  finding  out  some  con- 
venient hollow  and  placing  their  eggs  within.  Other  localities  are, 
however,  selected  for  the  purpose  of  incubation,  among  which  a  deserted 
rabbit-burrow  is  among  the  most  common.  The  nest  is  hardly  worthy 
of  the  name,  being  a  mere  collection  of  dry  fibrous  roots  laid  about 
three  or  four  feet  within  the  entrance,  and  just  thick  enough  to  keep  the 
eggs  from  the  ground,  but  not  sufficiently  woven  to  constitute  a  true  nest. 

The  head,  neck,  back,  and  wing-coverts  are  bluish  gray,  the  primary 
quill  feathers  of  the  wing  taking  a  deeper  hue,  the  secondaries  being 


THE  RING-DOVE. 


427 


pearl-gray  deepening  at  the  tips,  and  the  tertials  being  blue-gray  with 
two  or  three  spots.  The  chin  is  blue-gray,  the  sides  of  the  neck  slaty 
gray  glossed  with  green,  and  the  breast  purplish  red.  The  specific  name 
of  wnas,  or  "  wine-colored,"  is  given  to  the  bird  on  account  of  the  pe- 
culiar hue  of  the  throat.  The  whole  of  the  under  surface  is  gray,  and 
the  tail-feathers  are  colored  with  gray  of  several  tones,  the  outside 
feathers  having  the  basal  portion  of  the  outer  web  white.  The  beak 
is  deep  orange,  the  eyes 
scarlet,  and  the  legs  and 
toes  red.  The  total  length 
is  about  fourteen  inches, 
the  female  being  a  little 
smaller. 

The  bird  which  now 
comes  before  our  notice 
is  familiar  to  all  residents 
in  the  country  under 
the  titles  of  Ring-Dove, 
Wood  Pigeon,  Wood 
Guest,  and  Cushat. 

This  pretty  Dove  is  one 
of  the  commonest  of  Brit- 
ish birds,  breeding  in  al- 
most every  little  copse  or 
tuft  of  trees,  and  inhabit- 
ing the  forest  grounds. 
in  great  abundance.  Toward  and  during  the  breeding  season  its 
soft,  complacent,  cooing  is  heard  in  every  direction,  and  with  a  very 
slight  search  its  nest  may  be  found.  It  is  a  strange  nest,  and  hardly 
deserving  that  name,  being  nothing  more  than  a  mere  platform  of  sticks 
resting  upon  the  fork  of  a  bough,  and  placed  so  loosely  across  each 
other  that  when  the  maternal  bird  is  away  the  light  may  sometimes  be 
seen  through  the  interstices  of  the  nest,  and  the  outline  of  the  eggs 
made  out.  Generally  the  Ring-Dove  chooses  a  rather  lofty  branch  for 
its  nesting-plaoe,  but  it  occasionally  builds  at  a  very  low  elevation. 

The  eggs  are  never  more  than  two  in  number  and  perfectly  white, 
looking  something  like  hens'  eggs  on  a  small  scale,  save  that  the  ends 
are  more  equally  rounded. 

The  food  of  this  Dove  consists  of  grain  and  seeds  of  various  kinds, 
together  with  the  green  blades  of  newly-sprung  corn  and  the  leaves  of 
turuips,  clover,  and  other  vegetables.  Quiet  and  harmless  as  it  may 
look,  the  Ring-Dove  is  a  wonderful  gormandizer,  and  can  consume 
great  quantities  of  food.  The  crop  is  capacious,  to  suit  the  appetite, 
and  can  contain  a  singular  amount  of  solid  food,  as  indeed  seems  to  be 


The  Band-tailed  Pigeon  (Co/m?» 6a /asoato). 


428  THE  KOCK-DOVE  AND  TURTLE-DOVE. 

the  case  with  most  of  the  Pigeon  tribe,  so  that  when  the  birds  assemble 
together  in  the  autumn  the  flocks  will  do  great  damage  to  the  farmer. 
The  Ring-Dove  may  easily  be  known  by  the  peculiarity  from  which 
it  derives  its  name,  the  feathers  upon  the  side  of  the  neck  being  tipped 
with  white,  so  as  to  form  portions  of  rings  set  obliquely  on  the  neck. 

Different  as  are  the  Domestic  Pigeons,  they  are  all  modifications 
of  the  common  Blue  Rock  Pigeon,  and,  if  permitted  to  mix  freely 
with  each  other,  display  an  inveterate  tendency  to  return  to  the  orig- 
inal form,  with  its  simple  plumage  of  black  bars  across  the  wing,  just 
as  the  finest  breeds  of  lop-eared  rabbits  will  now  and  then  produce  up- 
right-eared young. 

The  Rock-Dove  derives  its  popular  name  from  its  habit  of  frequent- 
ing rocks  rather  than  trees — an  idiosyncrasy  which  is  so  inherent  in  its 
progeny  that  even  the  Domestic  Pigeons,  which  have  not  seen  anything 
except  their  wooden  cotes  for  a  loug  series  of  generations,  will,  if  they 
escape,  take  to  rocks  or  buildings,  and  never  trouble  themselves  about 
trees,  though  they  should  be  at  hand. 

This  species  seems  to  have  a  very  considerable  geographical  range,  for 
it  is  common  over  most  parts  of  Europe,  Northern  Africa,  the  coasts  of 
the  Mediterranean,  and  has  even  been  found  in  Japan. 

From  this  stock  the  varieties  that  have  been  reared  by  careful  man- 
agement are  almost  innumerable,  and  are  so  different  in  appearance  that 
if  they  were  seen  for  the  first  time  almost  any  systematic  naturalist 
would  set  them  down  as  belonging  not  only  to  difi^erent  species,  but  to 
dififerent  genera — such  for  example  as  the  Pouter,  the  Jacobin,  the 
Trumpeter,  and  the  Fantail,  the  last-mentioned  bird  having  a  greater 
number  of  feathers  in  its  tail  than  any  of  the  others. 

The  world-famed  Turtle-Dove  is,  although  a  regular  visitor  of  this 

country,    better     known    by 

fame  and  tradition  than  by 

I'M  actual      observation.        This 

bird  has  from  classic  time 
until  the  present  day  been 
conventionally  accepted  as 
the  type  of  matrimonial  per- 
fection, loving  but  its  mate 
and  caring  for  no  other  un- 
til death  steps  in  to  part  the 
wedded  couple.  Yet  it  is  by 
no  means  the  only  instance  of 
rjy       r^     "^^^         ,^  ^^  such  conjugal  aflfection  among 

Thk  TrKTLE-DovE  (Turtur  auritns).  ^he  feathered  tribes,  for  there 
are  hundreds  of  birds  which  can  lay  claim  to  the  same  excellent  qual- 
ities, the  fierce  eagle  and  the  ill-omened  raven  being  among  their  number. 


THE  CROWNED  PIGEON. 


429 


The  Turtle-Dove  seems  to  divide  its  attention  pretty  equally  between 
Africa  and  England,  pausing  for  some  little  time  in  Southern  Italy  as  a 
kind  of  half-way  house.  It  arrives  here  about  the  beginning  of  May,  or 
perhaps  a  little  earlier  in  case  the  weather  be  warm,  and  after  resting  for 
a  little  while  sets  about  making  its  very  simple  nest  and  laying  its  white 
eggs.  The  nest  of  this  bird  is  built  lower  than  is  generally  the  case 
with  the  wood-pigeon,  and  is  usually  placed  on  a  forked  branch  of  some 
convenient  tree,  about  ten  feet  or  so  from  the  ground.  The  eggs  are 
laid  rather  late  in  the  season,  so  that  there  is  seldom  more  than  a  sin- 
gle brood  of  two  young  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

The  Turtle-Dove  may  readily  be  known  by  the  four  rows  of  black 
feathers  tipped  with  white  which  are  found  on  the  sides  of  the  neck. 

The  splendid  Crowned  Pigeon  is  indisputably  the  most  conspic- 
uous of  all  its  tribe,  its  great  size  and  splendid  crest  rendering  it  a 
most  striking  object,  even  at  a  considerable  distance. 

So  large  and  un-pigeonlike  is  this  bird  that  few,  on  first  seeing  it, 
would  be  likely  to  determine  its  real  relations  to  the  rest  of  the  feath- 
ered race,  and  would  be  more  likely 
to  class  it  among  the  poultry  than 
the  pigeons.  If,  however,  the  reader 
will  lay  a  card  upon  the  crest,  so  as 
to  expose  only  the  head,  he  will  see 
that  the  general  outline  of  the  head 
and  beak  is  clearly  that  of  a  pigeon. 
It  is  a  native  of  Java,  New  Guinea, 
and  the  Moluccas. 

The  cry  of  this  bird  is  loud  and 
sonorous,  a. kind  of  mixture  between 
a  trombone  and  a  drum,  and  every 
time  the  bird  utters  this  note  it  bows 
its  head  so  low  that  the  crest  sweeps 
the  ground. 

The  nest  of  the  Crowned  Pigeon 
is  said  to  be  made  in  trees,  the  eggs 
being  two  in  number,  as  is  generally  the  case  with  this  group  of  birds. 

The  general  color  of  this  bird  is  a  deep  and  nearly  uniform  slate-blue ; 
that  of  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail  being  a  very  blackish  ash 
and  a  patch  of  pure  white  and  w^arm  maroon  being  found  on  the  wings. 

The  position  held  by  the  celebrated  Dodo  among  birds  was  long 
doubtful,  and  was  only  settled  in  comparatively  late  years  by  careful 
examination  of  the  few  relics  which  are  our  sole  and  scanty  records 
of  this  very  remarkable  bird. 

So  plentiful  were  the  Dodos  at  one  time,  and  so  easily  were  they 
killed,  that  the  sailors  were  in  the  habit  of  slaying  the  birds  merely 


The  Crowned  Pigeon  {Gaura 
corovata). 


430 


THE  DODO  AND  THE  CRESTED  CURASSOW. 


for  the  sake  of  the  stones  in  their  stomachs,  these  being  fonnrl  very 
efficacious  in  sharpening  their  clasp-knives.     The  nest  of  the  Dodo  was 

a  mere  heap  of  fallen 
leaves  gathered  to- 
gether on  the  ground, 
and  the  bird  laid  but 
one  large  egg.  The 
weight  of  one  full- 
grown  Dodo  was  said 
to  be  between  forty 
and  fifty  pounds. 
The  color  of  the 
plumage  was  a  gray- 
ish brown  in  the  adult 
males,  not  unlike  that 
of  the  ostrich,  while 
the  plumage  of  the 
females  was  of  a 
paler  hue. 

The  Dodo  (Bidic,  inepim).  Leaving    the    Pig- 

eons, we  now  come  to  the  large  and  important  order  of  birds  termed 
scientifically  the  Gallinse,  and,  more  popularly,  the  Poultry.  Some- 
times they  are  termed  Rasores,  or  "scrapers,"  from  their  habit  of 
scraping  up  the  ground  in  search  of  food.     To  this  order  belong  our 

domestic  poultry,  the  grouse, 
partridges,  and  quails,  the 
turkeys,  pheasants,  and  many 
other  useful  and  interesting 
birds. 

Our  first  example  of  these 
birds  is  the  Crested  Curas- 
sow,  the  representative  of 
the  genus  Crax,  in  which  are 
to  be  found  a  number  of  truly 
splendid  birds.  All  the  Cu- 
rassows  are  natives  of  tropical 
America,  and  are  found  al- 
most wholly  in  the  forests. 

The  Crested  Curassow  in- 
habits the  thickly-wooded  dis- 
tricts of  Guiana,  Mexico,  and 
Brazil,  and  is  very  plentifully 
found  in  those  countries.  It  is  a  really  handsome  bird,  nearly  as  large 
as  the  turkey,  and  more  imposing  in  form  and  color.     It  is  gregarious 


y  _, 

The  Crested  Curassow  (C'/ax  Ahttor) 


THE  AUSTKALIAN  JUNGLE  FOWL.  431 

in  its  habits,  aud  assembles  together  in  large  troops,  mostly  perched  on 
the  branches  of  trees.  It  is  susceptible  of  domestication,  and,  to  all 
appearances,  may  be  acclimatized  to  this  country  as  well  as  the  turkey 
or  the  pheasant. 

In  their  native  country  the  Curassows  build  among  the  trees,  making 
a  large  and  rather  clumsy-looking  nest  of  sticks,  grass-stems,  leaves,  and 
grass-blades.  There  are  generally  six  or  seven  eggs,  not  unlike  those 
of  the  fowl,  but  larger  and  thicker  shelled. 

The  color  of  the  Crested  Curassow  is  a  very  dark  violet,  with  a  pur- 
plish green  gloss  above  and  on  the  breast,  and  the  abdomen  is  the 
purest  snowy  white,  contrasting  beautifully  with  the  dark  velvety 
plumage  of  the  upper  parts.  The  bright  golden  yellow  of  the  crest 
adds  in   no  small  degree  to  the  beauty  of  the  bird. 

Several  very  singular  Ijirds  are  found  in  Australia  and  New  Guinea, 
called  by  the  name  of  Megapodinse,  or  "  great-footed  birds,"  on  account 
of  the  very  large  size  of  their  feet — a  provision  of  nature  which  is  neces- 
sary for  their  very  peculiar  mode  of  laying  their  eggs  and  hatching 
their  young. 

The  first  of  these  birds  is  the  Australian  Jungle  Fow^l,  which  is 
found  ia  several  parts  of  Australia,  but  especially  about  Port  Essing- 
ton.  In  that  country  great  numbers  of  high  and  large  mounds  of  earth 
exist,  which  were  formerly  thought  to  be  the  tombs  of  departed  natives, 
and,  indeed,  have  been  more  than  once  figured  as  such.  The  natives, 
however,  disclaimed  the  sepulchral  character,  saying  that  they  were  the 
artificial  ovens  in  which  the  eggs  of  the  Jungle  Fowl  were  laid,  and 
which,  by  the  heat  that  is  always  disengaged  from  decaying  vegetable 
substances,  preserved  sufficient  warmth  to  hatch  the  eggs. 

The  size  of  these  tumuli  is  sometimes  quite  marvellous ;  in'  one 
instance,  where  measurements  were  taken,  it  was  fifteen  feet  in  perpen- 
dicular height  and  sixty  feet  in  circumference  at  its  base.  The  whole 
of  this  enormous  mound  was  made  by  the  industrious  Jungle  Fowl  by 
gathering  up  the  earth,  fallen  leaves,  aud  grasses  with  one  foot  and  throw- 
ing them  backward  while  it  stands  on  the  other.  If  the  hand  be  inserted 
into  the  heap,  the  interior  will  always  be  found  to  be  quite  hot.  In  al- 
most every  case  the  mound  is  placed  under  the  shelter  of  densely-leaved 
trees,  so  as  to  prevent  the  sun  from  shining  upon  any  part  of  it. 

The  bird  seems  to  deposit  her  eggs  by  digging  holes  from  the  top  of 
the  mound,  laying  the  egg  at  the  bottom,  and  then  making  its  way  out 
again,  throwing  back  the  earth  that  it  had  scooped  away.  The  direction, 
however,  of  the  holes  is  by  no  means  uniform,  some  running  toward 
the  centre  and  others  radiating  toward  the  sides.  They  do  not  seem 
to  be  dug  quite  perpendicularly ;  so  that,  although  the  holes  in  which 
the  eggs  are  found  may  be  some  six  or  seven  feet  in  depth,  the  eggs 
themselves  may  be  only  two  or  three  feet  from  the  surface. 


432  TFIE  BRUSH  TURKEY  AND  THE  PEACOCK. 

The  coloring  of  this  bird  is  simple,  but  the  tints  are  soft  and  pleasing. 
The  head  is  rich  ruddy  brown,  the  back  of  the  neck  blackish  gray, 
and  the  back  and  wings  brownish  cinnamon,  deepening  into  dark 
chestnut  on  the  tail-coverts.  The  whole  under  surface  is  blackish 
gray.     The  legs  are  orange,  and  the  bill  rusty  brown. 

The  Brush  Turkey  is  found  principally  in  the  thick  brushwood  of 
New  South  Wales.  Mr.  Gould,  who  first  brought  it  before  the  public, 
gives  this  curious  account  oi'  its  nest:  "The  mode  in  which  the  mate- 
rials composing  these  mounds  are  accumulated  is  equally  singular,  the 
bird  never  using  its  bill,  but  always  grasping  a  quantity  in  its  foot, 
throwing  it  backward  to  one  common  centre,  and  thus  clearing  the 
surface  of  the  ground  for  a  considerable  distance  so  completely  that 
scarcely  a  leaf  or  a  blade  of  grass  is  left.  The  heap  being  accumulated, 
and  time  allowed  for  a  sufficient  heat  to  be^engendered,  the  eggs  are 
deposited,  not  side  by  side,  as  is  ordinarily  the  case,  but  planted  at  the 
distance  of  nine  or  twelve  inches  from  each  other,  and  buried  at  nearly 
an  arm's  depth,  perfectly  upright,  with  the  large  end  upward.  They 
are  covered  up  as  they  are  laid,  and  allowed  to  remain  until  hatched. 
I  am  credibly  informed,  both  by  natives  and  settlers  living  near  their 
haunts,  that  it  is  not  an  unusual  event  to  obtain  nearly  a  bushel  of 
eggs  at  one  time  from  a  single  heap  ;  and,  as  they  are  delicious  eating, 
they  are  eagerly  sought  after." 

When  the  Brush  Turkey  is  disturbed,  it  either  runs  through  the 
tangled  underwood  with  singular  rapidity  or  springs  upon  a  low  branch 
of  some  tree,  and  reaches  the  summit  by  a  succession  of  leaps  from 
branch  to  branch.  This  latter  peculiarity  renders  it  an  easy  prey  to 
the  sportsman. 

The  large  family  of  the  Peacocks,  or  Pavouidss,  now  claims  our 
attention. 

The  Peacock  may  safely  be  termed  one  of  the  most  magnificent  of 
the  feathered  tribe,  and  may  even  lay  a  well-founded  claim  to  the  chief 
rank  among  birds  in  splendor  of  plumage  and  effulgence  of  coloring. 
We  are  so  familiar  with  the  Peacock  that  we  think  little  of  its  real 
splendor ;  but  if  one  of  these  birds  had  recently  been  brought  to  Eu- 
rope for  the  first  time,  it  would  create  a  greater  sensation  than  even 
the  hippopotamus  or  the  gorilla. 

The  Peacock  is  an  Asiatic  bird,  the  ordinary  species  being  found 
chiefly  in  India,  and  the  Javanese  Peacock  in  the  country  from  which 
it  derives  its  name.  In  some  parts  of  India  the  Peacock  is  extremely 
common,  flocking  together  in  bands  of  thirty  or  forty  in  number,  cover- 
ing the  trees  with  their  splendid  plumage  and  filling  the  air  with  their 
horridly  dissonant  voices.  Captain  Williamson,  in  his  Oriental  Field 
Sports,  mentions  that  he  has  seen  at  least  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred 
peacocks  within  sight  of  the  spot  where  he  stood. 


THE  PEACOCK. 


433 


They  abouud  chiefly  in  close-wooded  forests,  particularly  where  there 
IS  an  extent  of  long  grass  for  them  to  range  in.  They  are  very  thirsty 
birds,  and  will  remain  only  where  they  can  have  access  to  water. 
Rhur-plautations  are  their  favorite  shelter,  being  close  above,  so  as  to 
keep  off  the  solar  rays,  and  sufliciently  open  at  the  bottom  to  admit  a 


The  Peacock  {Pavo  cristatus). 

free  passage  for  the  air.  If  there  be  trees  near  such  spots,  the  Peacocks 
may  be  seen  mounting  into  them  every  evening  toward  dark  to  roost, 
and  they  generally  continue  in  them  till  the  sun  rises,  when  they  de- 
scend to  feed,  and  pass  the  mid-dav  in  the  heavv  coverts. 

-'  2  C 


434  THE  ARGUS  PHEASANT. 

Though  Pea-fowls  invariably  roost  in  trees,  yet  they  make  their  nests 
on  the  ground,  and  ordinarily  on  a  bank  raised  above  the  common 
level,  where  in  some  sufficient  bush  they  collect  leaves,  small  sticks, 
etc.,  and  sit  very  close.  I  have  on  several  occasions  seen  them  in  their 
nests,  but,  as  I  refrained  from  disturbing  them,  they  did  not  offer  to 
move,  though  they  could  not  fail  to  know  that  they  were  discovered. 
They  usually  sit  on  about  a  dozen  or  fifteen  eggs.  They  are  generally 
hatched  about  the  beginning  of  November ;  and  from  January  to  the 
end  of  March,  when  the  corn  is  standing,  are  remarkably  juicy  and 
tender.  When  the  dry  season  comes  on  the  birds  feed  on  the  seeds 
of  weeds  and  insects,  and  their  flesh  becomes  dry  and  muscular. 

The  train  of  the  male  Peacock,  although  popularly  called  its  tail,  is 
in  reality  composed  of  the  upper  tail-coverts,  which  are  enormously 
lengthened  and  finished  at  their  extremities  with  broad  rounded  webs 
or  with  spear-shaped  ends.  The  shafts  of  these  feathers  are  almost 
bare  of  web  for  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  of  their  length,  and 
then  throw  out  a  number  of  long  loose  vanes  of  a  light  coppery  green. 
These  are  very  brittle,  and  apt  to  snap  off  at  different  lengths.  In  the 
central  feathers  the  extremity  is  modified  into  a  wide,  flattened,  battle- 
door-shaped  form,  each  barbule  being  colored  with  refulgent  emerald- 
green,  deep  violet-purple,  greenish  bronze,  gold,  and  blue,  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  form  a  distinct  "  eye,"  the  centre  being  violet  of  two  shades 
surrounded  with  emerald,  and  the  other  tints  being  arranged  concen- 
trically around  it.  In  the  feathers  that  edge  the  train  there  is  no  "  eye," 
the  feathers  coming  to  a  point  at  the  extremity,  and  having  rather  wide 
but  loose  emerald-green  barbules  on  its  outer  web  and  a  few  scattered 
coppery  barbules  in  the  place  of  the  inner  web.  The  tail-feathers  are 
only  seven  or  eight  inches  in  length,  are  of  a  grayish-brown  color,  and 
can  be  seen  when  the  train  is  erected,  that  being  their  appointed  task. 

The  Pheasants  come  next  in  order,  and  the  grandest  and  most  im- 
posing of  this  group,  although  there  are  many  others  that  surpass 
its  brilliant  coloring,  is  the  Argus  Pheasant,  so  called  in  remem- 
brance of  the  ill-fated  Argus  of  mythology,  whose  hundred  eyes 
never  slept  simultaneously  until  charmed  by  the  magic  lyre  of  Mer- 
cury. 

This  magnificent  bird  is  remarkable  for  the  very  great  length  of  its 
tail-feathers  and  the  extraordinary  development  of  the  secondary 
feathers  of  the  wings.  While  walking  on  the  ground  or  sitting  on  a 
bough  the  singular  length  of  the  feathers  is  not  verv  striking,  but 
when  the  bird  spreads  its  wings,  as  shown  in  the  figure,"  they  come  out 
in  all  their  beauty.  As  might  be  supposed  from  the  general  arrange- 
raeut  of  the  plumage,  the  bird  is  by  no  means  a  good  flyer,  and  when 
It  takes  to  the  air  flies  only  for  a  short  distance.  In  running  its  wings 
are  said  to  be  efficient  aids. 


THE  PHEASANT. 


435 


Although  the  Argus  is  hardly  larger  than  an  ordinary  fowl,  the 
plumage  is  so  greatly  developed  that  its  total  length  measures  more 
than  five  feet.  The  head  and  the  back  of  the  neck  are  covered  with 
short  brown  feathers,  and  the  neck  and  the  upper  part  of  the  breast 
are  warm  chestnut-brown,  covered  with  spots  of  yellow  and  black,  and 
similar  tints  are  formed  on  the  back.     The  tail  is  deep  chestnut,  cov- 


The  Argus  Pheasant  {Argus  gigantetis). 

ered  with  white  spots,  each  spot  being  surrounded  with  a  black 
ring. 

The  Argus  Pheasant  inhabits  Sumatra  and  neighboring  localities. 

The  well-known  Pheasant  affords  a  triumphant  instance  of  the  j^uc- 
cess  with  which  a  bird  of  a  strange  country  may  be  acclimatized  to  this 
island  with  some  little  assistance  from  its  owners. 

Originally,  the  Pheasant  was  an  inhabitant  of  Asia  Minor,  and  has 
been  by  degrees  introduced  into  many  European  countries,  where  its 
beauty  of  form  and  plumage  and  the  delicacy  of  its  flesh  made  it  a 
welcome  visitor. 


436 


THE  PHEASANT. 


The  food  of  this  bird  is  extremely  varied.  When  young  it  is  gen- 
erally fed  on  ants'  eggs,  maggots,  grits,  and  similar  food,  but  when  it 
is  fully  grown  it  is  possessed  of  an  accommodating  appetite,  and  will 
eat  many  kinds  of  seeds,  roots,  and  leaves.  The  tubers  of  the  common 
buttercup  form  a  considerable  item  in  its  diet,  and  the  bird  will  also 
eat  beans,  peas,  acorns,  and  berries  of  various  kinds. 

The  Pheasant  is  a  ground-loving  bird,  running  with  great  speed, 
and  always  preferring  to  trust  to  its  legs  rather  than  to  its  wings. 


The  Php:asant  {Pha.vanus  Colchicus) 


It  is  a  crafty  creature,  and  when  alarmed,  instead  of  rising  on  the 
wing,  it  slips  quietly  out  of  sight  behind  a  bush  or  through  a  hedge, 
and  then  runs  away  with  astonishing  rapidity,  .always  remaining 
under  cover  until  it  reaches  some  spot  where  it  deems  itself  to  be 
safe. 

The  nest  of  the  Pheasant  is  a  very  rude  attempt  at  building,  being 
merely  a  heap  of  leaves  and  grasses  collected  together  upon  the  ground, 
and  with  a  very  slight  depression,  caused  apparently  quite  as  much  by 
the  weight  of  the  eggs  as  by  the  art  of  the  bird.  The  eggs  are  numer- 
ou.s,  generally  about  eleven  or  twelve,  and  their  color  is  a  uniform  olive- 
brown.     Their  surfiice  is  very  smooth. 


THE  BANKIVA  JUNGLE  FOWL  AND  THE  TURKEY.   437 


The  Bankiva  Jungle  Fowl  is  now  supposed  to  be  the  original  stock 
of  the  domesticated  poultry. 

It  is  a  native  of  Java,  and  the  male  very  closely  resembles  the  game- 
cock of  England.  It  is  a  splendid  creature,  with  its  light-scarlet  comb 
and  wattles,  its  drooping  hackles,  its  long,  arched  tail,  and  its  flashing 
eye.  The  comb  and  wattles  are  of  brightest  scarlet,  the  long  hackles 
of  the  neck  and  lower  part  of  the  back  are  fine  orange-red,  the  upper 
part  of  the  back  is  deep  blue-black,  and  the  shoulders  are  ruddy  chest- 
nut. Tlie  secondaries  and  greater  coverts  are  deep  steely  blue,  and  the 
quill  feathers  of  the  wing  are  blackish  brown  edged  with  rusty  yellow. 
The  long,  arched,  and  drooping  tail  is  blue-black  glossed  with  green, 
and  the  breast  and  under  parts  black,  so  that  in  general  aspect  it  is 
very  like  the  black-breasted  red  gamecock. 


'  )A-  .^^^^Wf^^^^^p^ 


Domestic  Fow'ls. 

The  domesticated  bird  is  of  all  the  feathered  tribe  the  most  directly 
useful  to  man,  and  is  the  subject  of  so  many  valuable  treatises  that  the 
reader  is  referred  to  them  for  the  best  mode  of  breeding,  rearing,  and 
general  management  of  poultry. 

The  now  well-known  Turkey  is  another^example  of  the  success  with 
which  foreign  birds  can  be  acclimatized  in  this  country. 

The  Turkey  is  spread  over  many  parts  of  America,  such  as  the  wood- 
ed parts  of  Arkansas,  Louisiana,  Alabama,  Indiana,  etc.,  but  does  not 
seem  to  extend  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  begins  to  mate  about 
the  middle  of  February,  and  the  males  then  utter  those  ludicrous  gob- 
bling sounds  which  have  caused  the  bird  to  be  called  Gobbler  or  Bub- 
bly-Jock  by  the  whites,  and  Oo-coo-coo  by  the  Oherokees. 
37*  , 


438 


THE  GUINEA-FOWL. 


The  female  makes  her  oest  in  some  secluded  spot,  aud  is  very  guarded 
in  her  approaches,  seldom  employing  the  same  path  twice  in  succession, 
and,  if  discovered,  using  various  wiles  by  which  to  draw  the  intruder  from 
the  spot.     As  soon  as  the  young  are  hatched  she  takes  them  under  her 

charge,  and  the  whole 
family  go  wandering 
about  to  great  distances, 
at  first  returning  to  the 
nest  for  the  night,  but  af- 
terward crouching  in  any 
suitable  spot.  Marshy 
places  are  avoided  by 
the  Turkey,  as  wet  is 
fatal  to  the  young  birds 
until  they  have  attain- 
ed their  second  suit  of 
clothes  and  wear  feathers 
instead  of  down.  When 
they  are  about  a  fortnight 
old  they  are  able  to  get 
up  into  trees  and  roost 
in  the  branches,  safe 
from  most  of  the  nu- 
merous enemies  which 
beset  their  path  through 
life. 

The  Turkey  is  a  very 
migratory  bird,  passing 
over  great  distances  and  retaining  the  habit  in  its  tamed  state,  giving  no 
small  amount  of  trouble  to  the  poultry-owner. 

The  prettily-spotted  Guinea  Fowl  or  Pintado,  sometimes  called 
Gallini,  is,  although  now  domesticated  in  England,  a  native  of  Africa, 
and  has  much  of  the  habits  and  propensities  of  the  turkey. 

Both  in  the  wild  and  the  captive  state  the  Guinea  Fowl  is  wary  and 
suspicious,  and  particularly  careful  not  to  betray  the  position  of  its  nest, 
thus  often  giving  great  trouble  to  the  former.  Sometimes,  when  the 
breeding  season  approaches;  the  female  Pintado  will  hide  herself  and 
nest  so  effectually  that  the  only  indication  of  her  proceedings  is  her 
subsequent  appearance  with  a  brood  of  young  round  her.  The  num- 
ber of  eggs  is  rather  l^ge,  being  seldom  below  ten,  and  often  double 
tliat  number.  Their  color  is  yellowish  red,  covered  with  very  little 
dark  spots,  and  their  size  is  less  than  that  of  the  eggs  of  the  common 
fowl.  Their  shells  are  extremely  hard  and  thick,  and  when  boiled  for 
the  table  require  some  little  exertion  to  open  properly. 


Wild  Turkeys  {Meleagris 
1.  Male.     2.  Female. 


THE  PARTRIDGE. 


439 


1^         — 


The  Domestic  Turkey, 


Every  one  knows  the  curious,  almost  articulate,  cry  of  the  Guinea 
Fowl,  its  "Come  back!  come  back!"  being  continually  uttered  wher- 
ever the  bird  is  kept,  and  often  affording  a  clew  to  its  presence. 

The  forehead  of  the  Guinea  Fowl 
is  surmounted  by  a  horny  casque, 
and  the  naked  skin  round  the  eyes 
falls  in  wattles  below  the  throat.  In 
the  male  the  wattles  are  purplish 
red,  and  in  the  female  they  are  red 
without  any  mixture  of  blue,  and 
are  of  smaller  size.  The  legs  are 
without  spurs.  The  pretty  spotted 
plumage  of  this  bird  is  too  well 
known  to  need  description. 

Of  the  many  members  of  *the  Per- 
dicine  group,  we  shall  take  only  one 
example,  the  well-known  English 
Partridge. 

This  bird,  so  dear  to  British  sportsmen,  is  found  spread  over  the 
greater  part  of  Europe,  always  being  found  most  plentifully  near  cul- 
tivated ground.  It  feeds  upon  various  substances,  such  as  grain  and 
seeds  in  the  autumn,  and  green  leaves  and  insects  in  the  spring  and 
early  summer. 

Small  slugs  are  a  favorite  diet  with  the  Partridge,  which  has  a  spe- 
cial faculty  for  discover- 
ing them  in  the  recesses 
where  they  hide  them- 
selves during  the  day,  and 
can  even  hunt  successfully 
after  the  eggs  of  these  de- 
structive creatures.  Cat- 
erpillars are  also  eaten  by 
this  bird,  and  the  terrible 
black  grub  of  the  turnip 
is  consumed  in  great  num- 
bers. Even  the  white  cab- 
bage butterfly,  whose  nu- 
merous offspring  are  so 
hurtful  in  the  kitchen- 
garden,  falls  a  victim  to 
the  quick-eyed  Partridge, 
which  leaps  into  the  air 
and  seizes  it  in  its  beak  as  it  comes  fluttering  unsuspectingly  over  the 
bird's  head. 


The  Guinea  Fowl  {Nvmida  vieleaaiii^). 


440  THE  QUAIL. 

The  Partridge  begins  to  lay  about  the  end  of  April,  gathering  together 
a  bundle  of  dry  grasses  into  some  shallow  depression  in  the  ground,  and 
depositing  therein  a  clutch  of  eggs,  generally  from  twelve  to  twenty  in 
number.  Sometimes  a  still  greater  number  has  been  found,  but  in  these 
cases  it  is  tolerably  evident  from  many  observations  that  several  birds 
have  laid  in  the  same  nest. 

When  the  young  are  hatched  they  are  strong  on  their  legs  at  once, 
running  about  with  ease,  and  mostly  leaving  the  nest  on  the  same  day. 
The  mother  takes  her  little  new-born  brood  to  their  feeding-places — 
generally  ant-hills  or  caterpillar-haunted  spots — and  aids  them  in  their 
search  after  food  by  scratching  away  the  soil  with  her  feet. 

The  nests  of  the  wood-ant,  which  are  found  mostly  in  fir-plantations 
or  hilly  ground,  being  very  full  of  inhabitants,  very  easily  torn  to 
pieces,  and,  the  ants  and  their  larvae  and  pupae  being  very  large,  are 
favorite  feeding-places  of  the  Partridge,  which  in  such  localities  is  said 
to  acquire  a  better  flavor  than  among  the  lower  pasture4ands. 

The  young  brood,  technically  called  a  "  covey,"  associate  together, 
and  have  a  very  strong  local  tendency,  adhering  with  great  pertina- 
city to  the  same  field  or  patch  of  land.  Wiien  together  they  are  mostly 
rather  wild,  and  dart  off  at  the  least  alarm  with  tlieir  well-known  whir- 
ring flight,  just  topping  a  hedge  or  wall,  and  settling  on  the  other  side 
till  again  put  up  ;  but  when  the  members  of  the  covey  are  separated, 
they  seem  to  dread  the  air  and  crouch  closely  to  the  ground,  so  that  it 
is  the  object  of  the  sportsman  to  scatter  the  covey  and  to  pick  them  up 
singly. 

The  plumage  of  the  Partridge  is  brown,  of  several  shades,  above,  min- 
gled witli  gray.  The  breast  is  gray,  with  a  horseshoe-like  patch  of  rich 
chestnut  on  its  lower  portion,  and  the  sides  and  flanks  are  barred  with 
chestnut.  The  total  length  of  the  male  bird  is  rather  more  than  a  foot ; 
the  female  is  smaller  than  her  mate,  and  the  chestnut  bars  on  the  flanks 
are  broader  than  those  of  the  male. 

The  odd,  short-legged,  round-bodied,  quick-footed  Quail  is  closely 
allied  to  the  partridge  in  form  and  many  of  its  habits.  Of  these  birds 
there  are  many  species ;  but,  as  all  are  much  alike,  there  is  no  need  of 
many  examples. 

The  common  Quail  is  found  spread  over  the  greater  part  of  Europe 
and  portions  of  Asia  and  Africa,  coming  to  our  island  in  the  summer, 
though  not  in  very  great  numbers.  In  England  the  bird  is  not  suffi- 
ciently plentiful  to  be  of  any  commercial  value,  but  in  Italy  and  some 
of  the  warmer  lands  which  the  Quails  traverse  during  their  periodical 
migrations,  the  inhabitants  look  forward  to  the  arrival  of  the  Quail 
with  the  greatest  anxiety.  In  those  countries  they  are  shot,  snared, 
and  netted  by  thousands ;  and  it  is  chiefly  from  the  foreign  markets 
tliat  our  game-shops  are  supplied  with  these  birds.     When  ^t  the  flesh 


THE  CAPEECAILLIE. 


441 


of  the  Quail  is  very  delicious,  and  the  most  approved  way  of  cooking 
the  bird  is  to  envelop  it  in  a  very  thin  slice  of  bacon,  tie  it  up  in  a 
large  vine-leaf,  and  then  roast  it. 

In  their  migrations  the  Quails  fly  by  night — a  peculiarity  which  has 
been  noted  in  the  scriptural  record 
of  the  Exodus,  where  it  is  men- 
tioned  that  "  at  even   the  quails 
came  up  and  covered  the  camp." 

It  is  rather  curious  that  the 
males  precede  the  females  by 
several  days,  and  are  conse- 
quently more  persecuted  by  the 
professional  fowlers. 

The  male  bird  does  not  pair  like 
the  partridge,  but  takes  to  himself 
a  plurality  of  wives,  and,  as  is  gen- 
erally the  case  with  such  polyga- 
mists,  has  to  fight  many  desperate 
battles  with  others  of  its  own  sex. 
Although  ill-provided  with  weap- 


ons of  offence,  the  Quail  is  as  fiery 


The  Virginia  Quail.  ( Ortyx  Virginianus), 


and  courageous  a  bird  as  the  gamecock,  and  in  Eastern  countries  is 
largely  kept  and  trained  for  the  purpose  of  fighting  prize-battles,  on 
the  result  of  which  the  owners  stake  large  sums.     The  note  of  the 
male  is  a  kind  of  shrill  whis- 
tle, which  is  heard  only  dur- 
ing the  breeding  season. 

The  nest  of  the  Quail  is 
of  no  better  construction  than 
that  of  the  partridge,  being 
merely  a  few  bits  of  hay  and 
dried  herbage  gathered  into 
some  little  depression  in  the 
bare  ground,  and  generally 
entrusted  to  the  protection  of 
corn-stalks,  clover,  or  a  tuft  of 
rank  grass.  The  number  of 
eggs  is  generally  about  four- 
teen or  fifteen,  and  their  color 
is  buffy  white,  marked  with 
patches  or  speckles  of  brown. 

Although  once  a  common  inhabitant  of  the  highland  districts  of 
Great  Britain,  the  Capercaillie  has  now  been  almost  wholly  extinct 
for  some  years,  a  straggling  specimen  being  occasionally  seen  in  Scot- 


The  Capercaillie  {Tetrao  urogallus). 


442  THE  COCK   OF  THE  PLAINS. 

land,  and  shot  "  for  the  benefit  of  science."  This  bird  is  also  known  by 
the  following  names:  Cock  of  the  Woods,  Mountain  Cock,  Auerhahn, 
and  Capercailzie. 

It  is  now  most  frequently  found  in  the  northern  parts  of  Europe, 
Norway  and  Sweden  being  very  favorite  homes.  From  those  coun- 
tries it  is  largely  imported  into  England  by  the  game-dealers. 

The  Capercaillie  is  celebrated  not  only  for  its  great  size  and  the  ex- 
cellence of  its  flesh,  but  for  its  singular  habit  just  previous  to  and  dur- 
ing the  breeding  season. 

During  this  season  it  holds  its  "  play  "  or  love-song,  called  in  Nor- 
way the  leh.  He  struts  about  with  drooping  wings,  spread  tail,  and 
ruffled  feathers,  and  utters  a  peculiar  cry.  This  is  a  call  to  the  hens, 
and  always  attracts  them.  While  the  bird  is  thus  engaged  he  is  so 
intent  upon  his  "  play  "  that,  however  wary  he  may  be  at  other  times, 
he  can  easily  be  approached  and  shot. 

The  nest  of  the  Capercaillie  is  made  upon  the  ground,  and  contains 
eight  or  ten  eggs ;  when  hatched  the  young  are  fed  upon  insects,  more 
especially  ants  and  their  pupae.  The  adult  birds  feed  mostly  on  vegeta- 
ble substances,  such  as  juniper,  cranberry,  and  bilberries,  and  the  leaves 
and  buds  of  several  trees. 

The  color  of  the  adult  male  bird  is  chestnut-brown,  covered  with 
a  number  of  black  lines  irregularly  dispersed  ;  the  breast  is  black 
with  a  gloss  of  green,  and  the  abdomen  is  simply  black,  as  are  the 
lengthened  feathers  of  the  throat  and  tail.  The  female  is  easily  known 
by  the  bars  of  red  and  black  which  traverse  the  head  and  neck,  and  the 
reddish  yellow  barred  with  black  of  the  under  surface.  In  size  the 
Capercaillie  is  nearly  equal  to  a  turkey. 

The  Cock  of  the  Plains  is  an  American  bird,  being  found  in  the 
dry  plains  in  the  interior  of  the  southern  portion  of  California.  Like 
the  Cock  of  the  Woods,  this  bird  is  accustomed  during  the  breeding  season 
to  disport  himself  after  a  peculiar  and  grotesque  manner,  drooping  his 
wings,  spftading  his  tail  like  a  fan,  puffing  out  his  crop  until  the  bare 
yellow  skin  stands  prominently  forward,  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of 
the  pouter  pigeon,  and  erecting  the  long  silken  plumes  on  his  neck. 
Thus  accoutred,  he  parades  the  ground  with  much  dignity,  turning 
himself  about  so  as  to  display  his  shape  to  the  best  advantage,  assum- 
ing a  variety  of  rather  ludicrous  attitudes,  and  uttering  a  loud  boom- 
ing  cry  that  is  compared  to  the  sound  made  by  blowing  strongly  into  a 
large  hollow  reed. 

The  Cock  of  the  Plains  is  a  gregarious  bird,  assembling  in  little 
troops  in  the  summer  and  autumn,  and  in  large  flocks  of  several  hun- 
dred in  number  during  the  winter  and  spring. 

The  male  is  a  very  handsome  bird,  brown  on  the  upper  surflice  and 
mottled  with  very  dark  brown  and  vellowish  white.     The  female  is  less 


THE  BLACK  GROUSE  AND  PINNATED  GROUSE,  443 

iu  size,  is  without  the  feather  tufts  on  the  neck  aud  the  scale-like  plum- 
age ou  the  sides. 


Cock  of  the  Plains  [Tetrao  urophisianus),  female. 

The  well-kuown  Black  Grouse,  or  Black  Cock,  is  a  native  of  the 
more  southern  countries  of  Europe,  and  still  survives  in  many  portions 
of  the  British  Isles,  especially  those  localities  where  the  pine-woods  and 
heaths  afford  it  shelter  and  it  is  not  dislodged  by  the  presence  of  human 
habitations. 

Like  the  two  preceding  species,  the  male  bird  resorts  at  the  beginning 
of  the  breeding  season  to  some  open  spot,  where  he  utters  his  love-calls 
and  displays  his  new  clothes  to  the  greatest  advantage,  for  the  purpose 
of  attracting  to  his  harem  as  many  wives  as  possible.  The  note  of  the 
Black  Cock  when  thus  engaged  is  loud  and  resonant,  and  can  be  heard 
at  a  considerable  distance.  This  crowing  sound  is  accompanied  by  a 
harsh,  grating,  stridulous  kind  of  cry,  which  has  been  likened  to  the 
noise  produced  by  whetting  a  scythe. 

In  the  autumn  the  young  males  separate  themselves  from  the  other 
sex  and  form  a  number  of  little  bachelor  establishments  of  their  own, 
living  together  in  harmony  until  the  next  breeding  season,  when  they 
all  begin  to  fall  in  love.  The  apple  of  discord  is  then  thrown  among 
them  by  the  charms  of  the  hitherto  repudiated  sex,  and  their  rivalries 
lead  them  into  determined  and  continual  battles,  which  do  not  cease 
until  the  end  of  the  season  restores  them  to  peace  and  sobriety. 

The  general  color  of  the  adult  male  bird  is  black  glossed  with  blue 
and  purple,  except  a  white  band  across  each  wing.  The  under  tail- 
coverts  are  white. 

Another  fine  species  of  this  group   is   the  Pinnated  Grouse  of 


444 


THE  RUFFED  GROUSE. 


North  America.  This  bird  is  found  almost  wholly  iu  open  dry  plains  on 
which  are  few  trees  or  tufts  of  brushwood,  pines  and  scrub-oaks  being 
the  most  favored  shelter.     Like  the  greater  part  of  the  group,  the  males 

"play"  at  the  breeding 
season,  ruffling  their  feath- 
ers, erecting  their  neck- 
tufts,  swelling  out  their 
wattles,  and  uttering  their 
strange  love-cries.  At 
this  time  the  Pinnated 
Grouse  is  particularly  re- 
markable for  the  large  size 
and  bright  orange  color  of 
the  naked  sacculated  ap- 
pendages which  hang  at 
each  side  of  the  neck, 
and  which  can  be  filled 
with  air  until  they  are 
nearly  of  the  same  size 
and  color  as  a  Seville 
orange,  or  can  be  per- 
mitted   to    hang    loosely 

i>  r^  , ni        ^*    .7x  aloner  the  neck. 

Pinnated  Grouse    Tetrao  Cunido).  mi  i         r-    ^^      x>- 

^     ^  The  color  of    the  Pin- 

nated Grouse  is  mottled  with  black,  white,  and  chestnut-brown,  the 
male  having  two  wing-like  appendages  on  the  neck,  composed  of  eigh- 
teen feathers,  five  long  and 
black,  and  thirteen  shorter, 
streaked  with  black  and 
brown.  The  length  of 
this  bird  is  about  nineteen 
inches. 

The  Ruffed  Grouse 
is  spread  over  the  greater 
portion  of  the  United 
States,  where  it  is  known 
either  as  Partridge  or 
Pheasant  according  to  the 
locality. 

The  liuFFED  GiiousE,  or  Pheasant  In    general    color     the 

{Tetrcw  umbellusK  j^^j^      i^     ^-^^      chestnut- 

brown,  variegated  with  abundant  mottling  of  dark  brown  and  gray. 

The  curious  tufts  on  tlie  shoulder  are  rich  velvety  black  glossed  with 

green,  and  just  below  them  the  skin  is  bare.     The  tail  is  gray,  barred 


THE  OSTRICH. 


445 


with  blackish-brown.  The  length  of  the  male  bird  is  about  eighteen 
inches.  The  female  is  smaller,  and  is  known  by  the  brown  color  of 
the  neck-tufts  and  the  bar  on  the  tail. 

The  best  time  for  shooting  the  Ruffed  Grouse  is  September  and 
October,  when  it  is  very  fat,  having  fed  on  whortleberries  and  other 
fruits,  which  give  its  flesh  a  delicate  and  somewhat  aromatic  flavor. 
In  winter  these  birds  feed  much  on  the  buds  of  alder  and  laurel,  and 
are  then  thought  to  be  poisonous. 


CURSORES. 

With  the  Ostrich  commences  a  most  important  group  of  birds,  con- 
taining the  largest  and  most  powerful  members  of  the  feathered  tribe, 
and  termed  Cursores,  or  "  running  birds,"  on  account  of  their  great 
speed  of  foot  and  total  impotence  of  wing.  All  the  birds  belonging 
to  this  order  have  their  legs  de- 
veloped to  an  extraordinary  de- 
gree, the  bones  being  long,  stout, 
and  nearly  as  solid  as  those  of  a 
horse,  and  almost  devoid  of  the 
air-cells  which  give  such  lightness 
to  the  bones  of  most  birds.  The 
wings  are  almost  wanting  exter- 
nally, their  bones,  although  re- 
taining the  same  number  and 
form  as  in  ordinary  birds,  being 
very  small,  as  if  suddenly  checked 
in  their  growth. 

This  magnificent  creature,  the 
largest  of  all  existing  birds,  in- 
habits the  hot  sandy  deserts  of  Af- 
rica, for  which  mode  of  life  it  is 
wonderfully  fitted.  In  height  it 
measures  from  six  to  eight  feet, 
the  males  being  larger  than  their 
mates,  and  of  a  blacker  tint.  The 
food  of  the  Ostrich  consists  mostly 
of  wild  melons,  which  are  so  benef- 
icently scattered  over  the  sandy 
wastes. 

The  Ostrich  is  a  gregarious  bird,  associating  in  flocks,  and  being  fre- 
quently found  mixed  up  with  the  vast  herds  of  quaggas,  zebras,  giraffes, 
and  antelopes  which  inhabit  the  same  desert-plains.  It  is  also  polyg- 
amous, each  male  bird  having  from  two  to  seven  wives.     The  nest  of 

38 


The  Ostrich  {Struthio  Camelm). 


446  THE  EMEU. 

the  Ostrich  is  a  mere  shallow  hole  scooped  in  the  sand,  in  which  are 
placed  a  large  number  of  eggs,  all  set  upright,  and  with  a  number  of 
supplementary  eggs  laid  round  the  margin. 

The  eggs  are  hatched  mostly  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  ;  but,  contrary 
to  the  popular  belief,  the  parent  birds  are  very  watchful  over  their 
nests,  and  aid  in  hatching  the  eggs  by  sitting  upon  them  during  the 
night.  Both  parents  give  their  assistance  in  this  task.  The  eggs 
which  are  laid  around  the  margin  of  the  nest  are  not  sat  upon,  and 
consequently  are  not  hatched,  so  that  when  the  eggs  within  the  nest  are 
quite  hard,  and  the  young  bird  is  nearly  developed,  those  around  are 
quite  fit  for  food.  Their  object  is  supposed  to  be  to  give  nourishment 
to  the  young  birds  before  they  are  strong  enough  to  follow  their  parents 
and  forage  for  themselves.  These  eggs  are  put  to  various  useful  purposes. 
Not  only  are  they  eaten,  but  the  shell  is  carefully  preserved  and  chip- 
ped into  spoons  and  ladles,  or  the  entire  shell  employed  as  a  water-ves- 
sel, the  aperture  at  the  top  being  stuffed  with  grass. 

The  feathers  are  too  well  known  to  need  description.  On  an  average, 
each  feather  is  worth  about  twenty-five  cents. 

The  flesh  of  the  Ostrich  is  tolerably  good,  and  is  said  to  resemble 
that  of  the  zebra.  It  is,  however,  only  the  young  Ostrich  that  furnishes 
a  good  entertainment,  for  the  flesh  of  the  old  bird  is  rank  and  tough. 
The  fat  is  highly  valued,  and  when  melted  is  of  a  bright  orange  color. 
It  is  mostly  eaten  with  millet  flour,  and  is  also  stirred  into  the  egg 
while  roasting,  so  as  to  make  a  rude  but  well-flavored  omelet. 

The  vx)ice  of  the  Ostrich  is  a  deep,  hollow,  rumbling  sound,  so  like 
the  roar  of  the  lion  that  even  practised  ears  have  been  deceived  by  it 
and  taken  the  harmless  Ostrich  for  a  prowling  lion.  In  its  wild  state 
the  Ostrich  is  thought  to  live  from  twenty  to  thirty  years. 

In  the  male  bird  the  lower  part  of  the  neck  and  the  body  are  deep 
glossy  black,  with  a  few  white  feathers,  which  are  barely  visible  except 
when  the  plumage  is  ruffled.  The  plumes  of  the  wings  and  tail  are 
white.  The  female  is  ashen  brown  sprinkled  with  white,  and  her  tail 
and  wing  plumes  are  white,  like  those  of  the  male.  The  weight  of  a 
fine  adult  male  seems  to  be  between  two  and  three  hundred  pounds. 

The  Emeu  inhabits  the  plains  and  open  forest  country  of  Central 
Australia,  where  it  was  in  former  days  very  common,  but  now  seems 
to  be  decreasing  so  rapidly  in  numbers  that  Dr.  Bennett,  who  has  had 
much  personal  experience  of  this  fine  bird,  fears  that  it  will  ere  many 
years  be  numbered  with  the  dodo,  the  great  auk,  the  nestor,  and  other 
extinct  species. 

The  food  of  the  Emeu  consists  of  grass  and  various  fruits.  Its  voice 
is  a  curious,  hollow,  booming  or  drumming  kind  of  note,  produced 
by  the  peculiar  construction  of  the  windpipe.  The  legs  of  this  bird 
are  shorter  and  stouter  in  proportion  than  those  of  the  ostrich,  and  the 


THE  RHEA. 


447 


wings  are  very  short,  aDcl  so  small  that  when  they  lie  closely  against 
the  body  they  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  general  plumage. 
The  nest  of  the  Emeu  is  made  by  scooping  a  shallow  hole  in  the 
ground  in  some  scrubby  spot,  and  in  this  depression  a  variable  number 
of  eggs  is  laid.  Dr.  Ben- 
nett remarks  that  "  there 
is  always  an  odd  number, 
some  nests  having  been  dis- 
covered with  nine,  others 
with  eleven,  and  others, 
again,  with  thirteen."  The 
color  of  the  eggs  is,  while 
fresh,  a  rich  green  of  vary- 
ing quality,  but  after  the 
shells  are  emptied  and  ex- 
posed to  the  light  the  beau- 
tiful green  hue  fades  into 
an  unwholesome  greenish 
brown.  Tiie  parent  birds 
sit  upon  their  eggs,  as  has 
been  related  of  the  Ostrich. 
The  Emeu  is  not  polyga- 
mous, one  male  being  ap- 
portioned to  a  single  fe-  _  ^  .  ^^  ^^„  ,.  , 
^     1                                                             Emeu  {Dromams  Novce  HollandiOB). 

America  is  not  without  representatives  of  this  fine  group  of  birds, 
three  distinct  species  being  in  the  gardens  of  the  Zoological  Society. 

The  Rhea  is  a  native  of  South  America,  and  is  especially  plentiful 
along  the  river  Plata.  It  is  generally  seen  in  pairs,  though  it  some- 
times associates  together  in  flocks  of  twenty  or  thirty  in  number. 
Like  all  the  members  of  this  group,  it  is  a  swift-footed  and  wary  bird, 
but  possesses  so  little  presence  of  mind  that  it  becomes  confused  when 
threatened  with  danger  and  runs  aimlessly  in  one  direction  and  then  in 
another,  thus  giving  time  for  the  hunter  to  come  up  and  shoot  it  or 
bring  it  to  the  ground  with  his  "  bolas  " — a  terrible  weapon  consisting 
of  a  cord  with  a  heavy  ball  at  each  end,  which  is  flung  at  the  bird 
and  winds  its  coils  round  its  neck  and  legs,  so  as  to  entangle  it  and 
bring  it  to  the  ground. 

The  food  of  the  Rhea  consists  mainly  of  grasses,  roots,  and  other 
vegetable  substances,  but  it  will  occasionally  eat  animal  food,  being 
known  to  come  down  to  the  mud-banks  of  the  river  for  the  purpose  of 
eating  the  little  fish  that  have  been  stranded  in  the  shallows. 

The  well-known  Cassowary  is  found  in  the  Malacca,  Java,  and  the 
adjacent  islands. 


448 


THE  CASSOWARY. 


This  fine  bird  is  Dotable  for  the  glossy  bhick  hair-like  plumage,  the 
helraet-like  protuberance  upon  the  head,  and  the  light  azure,  purple, 
and  scarlet  of  the  upper  part  of  the  neck.  The  "  helmet "  is  a  truly- 
remarkable  apparatus,  being  composed  of  a  honeycombed  cellular  bony 
substance,  made  on  a  principle  that  much  resembles  the  structure 
of  the  elephant's  skull,  mentioned  in  an  earlier  portion  of  this 
work. 

The  plumage  of  the  body  is  very  hair-like,  being  composed  of  long 
and  almost  naked  sliafts,  two  springing  from  the  same  tube,  and  one 


The  Cassowary  [Casuarius 


always  being  longer  .than  the  other.  At  the  roots  of  the  shafts  there 
is  a  small  tuft  of  delicate  down,  sufficiently  thick  to  supply  a  warm 
and  soft  inner  garment,  but  yet  so  small  as  to  be  hidden  by  the  long 
hair-hke  plumage.  Even  the  tail  is  furnished  with  the  same  curious 
covering,  and  the  wings  are  clothed  after  a  similar  manner,  with  the 
exception  of  five  black,  stiflT,  strong,  pointed  quills,  very  like  the  large 
quills  of  the  porcupine,  and  being  of  different  lengths,  the  largest  not 
exceeding  one  foot,  and  generally  being  much  battered  about  the 
point.  When  stripped  of  its  feathers,  the  whole  wing  extends  only 
some  three  mches  in  length,  and  is  evidently  a  mere  indication  of  the 
limi). 


THE  APTERYX. 


449 


The  food  of  this  bird  in  a  wild  state  consists  of  herbage  and  various 
fruits,  and  in  captivity  it  is  fed  on  bran,  apj)les,  carrots,  and  sim- 
ilar substances,  and  is  said  to  drink  nearly  half  a  gallon  of  water  per 
diem. 

Perhaps  the  very  strangest  and  most  weird-like  of  all  living  birds  is 
the  Apteryx,  or  Kiwi-Kiwr. 

This  singular  bird  is  a  native  of  New  Zealand,  where  it  was  once 
very  common,  but,  like  the  dinornis,  is  in  a  very  fair  way  of  becoming 


The  Apteryx  {Apteryx  Australis). 

extinct — a  fate  from  which  it  has  probably  been  hitherto  preserved  by 
its  nocturnal  and  retiring  habits. 

In  this  bird  there  is  scarcely  the  slightest  trace  of  wings — a  peculi- 
arity which  has  gained  for  it  the  title  of  Apteryx,  or  "  wingless."  The 
plumage  is  composed  of  rather  curiously-shaped  flat  feathers,  each  being 
wide  and  furnished  with  a  soft,  shining,  silken  down  for  the  basal  third 
of  its  length,  and  then  narrowing  rapidly  toward  the  extremity,  which 

38  *  2D 


450  THE  GKEAT  BUSTARD. 

is  a  single  shaft  with  hair-like  webs  at  each  side.  The  quill  portion  of 
the  feathers  is  remarkably  small  and  short,  being  even  overlapped  by 
the  down  when  the  feather  is  removed  from  the  bird. 

The  skin  is  very  tough,  and  yet  flexible,  and  the  chiefs  set  great  value 
upon  it  for  the  manufacture  of  their  state  mantles,  permitting  no  infe- 
rior person  to  wear  them,  and  being  extremely  unwilling  to  part  with 
them  even  for  a  valuable  consideration.  The  bird  lives  mostly  among 
the  fern ;  and,  as  it  always  remains  concealed  during  the  day  in  deep 
recesses  of  rocks,  ground,  or  tree-roots,  and  is  remarkably  fleet  of  foot, 
diving  among  the  heavy  fern-leaves  with  singular  adroitness,  it  is  not 
very  easy  of  capture.  It  feeds  upon  insects  of  various  kinds,  more  es- 
pecially on  worms,  which  it  is  said  to  attract  to  the  surface  by  jump- 
ing and  striking  on  the  ground  with  its  powerful  feet.  The  natives 
always  hunt  the  Kiwi-kiwi  at  night,  taking  with  them  torches  and 
spears.  The  speed  of  this  bird  is  very  considerable,  and  when  running 
it  sets  its  head  rather  back,  raises  its  neck,  and  plies  its  legs  with  a  vigor 
little  inferior  to  that  of  the  ostrich. 

The  fine  specimen  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  has  already  proved  a 
very  valuable  bird,  as  she  has  laid  several  eggs,  thereby  setting  at  rest 
some  disputed  questions  on  the  subject,  and  well  illustrates  the  natural 
habits  of  the  species. 

Upon  her  box  is  placed,  under  a  glass  shade,  the  shell  of  one  of  her 
eggs.  These  eggs  are  indeed  wonderful,  for  the  bird  weighs  a  little 
more  than  four  pounds,  and  each  egg  weighs  between  fourteen  and  fif- 
teen ounces,  its  length  being  four  and  three-quarter  inches  and  its  width 
rather  more  than  two  inches,  thus  being  very  nearly  one-fourth  of  the 
weight  of  the  parent  bird. 

The  long  curved  beak  of  the  Apteryx  has  the  nostrils  very  narrow, 
very  small,  and  set  on  at  each  side  of  the  tip,  so  that  the  bird  is  en- 
abled to  pry  out  the  worms  and  other  nocturnal  creatures  on  which  it 
feeds  without  trusting  only  to  the  eyes.  The  general  color  of  the' Ap- 
teryx is  chestnut-brown,  each  feather  being  tipped  with  a  darker  hue, 
and  the  under  parts  are  lighter  than  the  upper.  The  height  is  about 
two  feet. 

Several  species  of  the  Apteryx  are  known. 

Although  the  progress  of  civilization  has  conferred  many  benefits 
on  this  country,  it  has  deprived  it  of  many  of  its  aboriginal  inhabitants, 
whether  furred  or  feathered,  the  Great  Bustard  being  in  the  latter 
category. 

This  splendid  bird,  although  in  former  days  quite  a  usual  tenant  of 
plains  and  commons,  and  having  been  an  ordinary  object  of  chase  on 
Newmarket  Heath,  is  now  so  rare  that  an  occasional  specimen  only 
makes  its  appearance  at  very  distant  intervals. 

The  Great  Bustard  is  not  fond  of  flying,  its  wings  having  but  a  slow 


THE  LAPWING.  451 

and  deliberate  movement,  but  on  foot  it  is  very  swift,  and  tests  the 
speed  of  dog  and  horse  before  it  can  be  captured. 

The  nest — if  a  hole  in  the  ground  may  be  called  a  nest — of  this  bird 
is  generally  made  among  corn,  rye,  etc.,  although  it  is  sometimes  sit- 
uated in  rather  unexpected  localities.  The  eggs  are  two  or  three  in 
number,  and  of  an  olive-brown  color  splashed  with  light  brown  in 
which  a  green  tinge  is  perceptible.  The  food  of  the  bird  is  almost 
wholly  of  a  vegetable  nature,  though  it  is  said  to  feed  occasionally 
upon  mice,  lizards,  and  other  small  vertebrates.  The  flesh  of  the  Bus- 
tard is  very  excellent,  but  the  extreme  rarity  of  the  bird  prevents  it 
from  being  often  seen  upon  English  tables.  When  caught  young  the 
Bustard  can  readily  be  tamed,  and  soon  becomes  quite  familiar  with 
those  who  treat  it  kindly.  , 

The  head  and  upper  part  of  the  neck  are  grayish  white,  and  upon 
the  side  of  the  neck  there  is  a  small  patch  of  slaty  blue  bare  skin,  al- 
most concealed  by  the  curious  feather  tuft  which  hangs  over  it.  The 
upper  part  of  the  body  is  pale  chestnut  barred  with  black,  and  the 
tail  is  of  similar  tints  with  a  white  tip,  and  a  very  broad  black  band 
next  to  the  white  extremity.  The  wing-coverts,  together  with  the  ter- 
tials,  are  white,  and  the  primaries  black.  The  under  surface  of  the  body 
is  white.     The  total  length  of  an  adult  male  is  about  forty-five  inches. 

The  Wading  Birds  are  well  furnished  with  legs  and  feet  formed  for 
walking,  and  in  many  species  the  legs  are  greatly  elongated,  so  as  to 
enable  them  to  walk  in  the  water  while  they  pick  their  food  out  of  the 
waves. 

In  the  British  Museum  the  Plovers  head  the  list  of  Waders. 

The  well-known  Lapwing,  or  Peewit,  is  celebrated  for  many  rea- 
sons. Its  wheeling,  flapping  flight  is  so  peculiar  as  to  attract  the  notice 
of  every  one  who  has  visited  the  localities  in  which  it  resides,  and  its 
strange,  almost  articulate,  cry  is  equally  familiar.  When  it  fears  danger, 
it  rises  from  its  nest,  or  rather  from  the  eggs,  into  the  air,  and  contin- 
ually wheels  around  the  intruder,  its  black  and  white  plumage  flashing 
out  as  it  inclines  itself  in  its  flight,  and  its  mournful  cry  almost  fatiguing 
the  ear  with  its  piercing  frequency.  "  Wee-whit!  wee-e-whit!"  fills  the 
air  as  the  birds  endeavor  to  draw  aw^ay  attention  from  their  home,  and 
the  look  and  cry  are  so  weird-like  that  the  observer  ceases  to  wonder 
at  the  superstitious  dread  in  which  these  birds  were  formerly  held. 
The  French  call  the  Lapwing  '' Dix-hmt''  from  its  cry. 

It  is  the  male  bird  which  thus  soars  above  and  around  the  intruder, 
the  female  sitting  closely  on  her  eggs  until  disturbed,  when  she  runs 
away,  tumbling  and  flapping  about  as  if  she  had  broken  her  wing,  in 
hopes  that  the  foe  may  give  chase  and  so  miss  her  eggs.  It  is  certain- 
ly very  tempting,  for  she  imitates  the  movements  of  a  wounded  bird 
with  marvellous  fidelitv. 


452 


THE  GOLDEN-BREASTED  TRUMPETER. 


The  eggs  of  the  Lapwing  are  laid  in  a  little  depression  in  the  earth, 
in  which  a  few  grass-stalks  are  loosely  pressed.  The  full  number  of 
eggs  is  four,  very  large  at  one  end  and  very  sharply  })ointed  at  the 
other,  and  the  bird  always  arranges  them  with  their  small  end  inward, 
so  that  they  present  a  somewhat  cross-like  shape  as  they  lie  in  the  nest. 

Their  color  is  olive,  blotched  and  spotted  irregularly  with  dark  black- 
ish brown,  and  they  harmonize  so  weW  with  the  ground  on  which  they 
are  laid  that  they  can  hardly  be  discerned  from  the  surrounding  earth 
at  a  few  yards'  distance.  Under  the  title  of  "  plovers'  eggs  "  they  are 
in  great  request  for  the  table,  and  are  sought  by  persons  who  make  a 


The  Lapwing  (  Vitnellus  cridalus). 

trade  of  them,  and  who  attain  a  wonderful  expertness  at  the  business  of 
gathering  them. 

The  food  of  the  Lapwing  consists  almost  wholly  of  grubs,  slugs, 
worms,  and  insects.  It  is  easily  tamed,  and  is  often  kept  in  gardens 
for  the  purpose  of  ridding  them  of  these  destructive  creatures.  In 
the  garden  next  our  own  a  Lapwing  was  kept,  and  lived  for  some  years, 
trippmg  featly  over  the  grass  and  thoroughly  at  home. 

The  Golden-breasted  Trumpeter  is  a  handsome  bird,  remarkable 
for  the  short  velvety  feathers  of  the  head  and  neck,  and  their  beautiful 
golden  green  lustre  on  the  breast.  The  body  of  this  bird  is  hardly 
larger  than  that  of  a  fowl,  but  its  legs  and  neck  are  so  long  as  to  give 
It  the  aspect  of  being  much  larger  than  it  really  is.  Like  most  birds 
of  similar  structure,  it  trusts  more  to  its  legs  than  its  wings,  and  is 


THE  CRANE. 


453 


able  to  run  with  great  speed  and  activity.  It  is  generally  found  in 
the  forests. 

The  name  of  Trumpeter  is  derived  from  the  strange  hollow  cry 
which  it  utters  without  seeming  to  open  the  beak.  This  cry  is  evidently 
produced  by  means  of  the  curiously-formed  windpipe,  which  is  fur- 
nished with  two  membranous  expansions,  which  during  the  utterance  of 
the  cry  puff  out  the  neck  very  forcibly,  just  as  the  rhea  does  when 
grunting.  The  nest  of  the  Trumpeter  is  said  to  be  a  hole  scratched 
in  the  ground  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and  to  contain  about  ten  or  twelve 
light-green  eggs.  The  head  and  neck  are  velvety  black,  and  on  the 
breast  the  feathers  be- 
come large  and  more 
scale-like,  and  their 
edges  beautifully  be- 
decked with  rich  shin- 
ing green,  with  a  pur- 
plish gloss  in  some  lights 
and  a  lustrous  golden  hue 
in  others.  The  back  is 
gray,  the  feathers  being 
long  and  silken  and  hang- 
ing over  the  wings.  The 
wiugs,  under  surface,  and 
tail  are  black,  and  the 
feathers  of  the  tail  are 
soft  and  short. 

Although  in  former 
days  tolerably  common 
in  England,  the  Crane 
has  now,  with  the  bus- 
tard, almost  disappeared 
from  this  land,  a  single 
specimen  being  seen  at 
very  long  and  increas- 
ing intervals.  In  some  ^  Louisiana  Heron.  2.  Pied  Oyster-catcher.  3. 
parts  of  England  and  Ire-  Whooping  Crane.  4.  Long-billed  Curlew, 
land  the  popular  name  of 

the  heron  is  the  Crane,  so  that  the  occasional  reports  which  sometimes 
find  admission  into  local  newspapers  respecting  the  Crane  often  have 
reference,  not  to  that  bird,  but  to  the  heron. 

The  Crane  makes  its  nest  mostly  on  marshy  ground,  placing  it 
among  osiers,  reeds,  or  the  heavy  vegetation  which  generally  flourishes 
in  such  localities.  Sometimes,  however,  it  prefers  more  elevated  situa- 
tions, and  will  build  on  the  summit  of  an  old  deserted  ruin.     The  eggs 


454 


THE  DEMOISELLE  CKANE  AND  THE  HERON. 


are  two  in  number,  and  their  color  is  light  olive,  covered  with  dashes 
of  a  deeper  hue  and  brown.  The  well-known  plumes  of  the  Crane  are 
the  elongated  tertials,  with  their  long  drooping  loose  webs,  which,  when 
on  the  wings  of  the  bird,  reach  beyond  the  primaries. 

The  forehead,  top  of  the  head,  and  neck  are  rather  dark  slaty  ash, 
and  a  patch  of  grayish  white  extends  from  behind  the  eyes  partially 
down  the  neck  on  each  side.  The  general  surface  of  the  body  is  soft 
ashen  gray,  and  the  primaries  are  black.  The  long  plumy  tertials  form 
two  crest-like  ornaments,  which  can  be  raised  or  depressed  at  will.  The 
eyes  are  red,  and  the  beak  is  yellow  w^ith  a  green  tinge.    The  total  length 

of  the  adult  crane  is  about  four 
feet,  but  it  is  rather  variable  in 
point  of  size,  and  the  males  are 
rather  larger  than  the  females. 
The  Demoiselle  or  Numid- 
IAN  Crane  is  common  in  many 
parts  of  Africa,  and  has  been  seen 
in  some  portions  of  Asia,  and  oc- 
casionally in  Eastern  Europe. 

It  is  a  very  pretty  bird,  the 
soft  texture  of  the  flowing  plum- 
age and  the  delicate  grays  of  the 
feathers  harmonizing  with  each 
other  in  a  very  agreeable  man- 
ner. The  general  tint  of  the 
plumage  is  blue-gray,  taking  a 
more  leaden  tone  on  the  head 
and  neck,  and  offering  a  beauti- 
ful contrast  to  the  snowy-white 
ear-tufts,   issuing   from    velvety 

,r,       T^  ^  .r,        XT      ^     black,  which  decorate  the  head. 

Xhe  Demoiselle  Crane  (Scops  Virgo),    rp.  •      i  .   xv     r.  i  n 

^     ^        ^  '     ihere  is  also  a  tuft  or  long  tlow- 

ing  plumes  of  a  deep  black-gray  hanging  from  the  breast.  Its  secon- 
daries are  much  elongated,  and  hang  over  the  primaries  and  tail- 
feathers.  In  height  the  Demoiselle  Crane  is  about  three  feet  six  inches. 
The  well-known  Heron  was  once  one  of  our  commonest  English 
birds,  but  on  account  of  the  draining  of  swamps  and  their  conversion 
into  fertilizad  and  liabitable  ground  is  now  seldom  to  be  seen  except  in 
certain  localities  which  still  retain  the  conditions  that  render  them  so 
acceptable  to  this  bird.  There  are  some  places  where  Herons  are  yet 
plentiful,  especially  those  localities  where  the  owner  of  the  land  has 
established  or  protected  the  nests,  or  where  a  wide  expanse  of  wild  un- 
cultivated ground  affords  them  a  retreat.  I  once  came  suddenly  on 
three  of  these  beautiful  birds  fishing  quietly  in  the  Avon,  and  permitting 


THE  FOOD  OF  THE  HERON. 


456 


my  approach  within  a  few  yards  before  they  spread  their  wide  wings 
for  flight. 

The  food  of  the  Heron  consists  mostly  of  fish  and  reptiles,  but  it  will 
eat  small  mammalia,  such  as  mice,  or  even  water-rats.  In  the  stomach 
of  one  of  these  birds  were  found  seven  small  trout,  a  mouse,  and  a 
thrush.  Eels  are  also  a  favorite  food  of  the  Heron,  but  on  account  of 
their  lithe  bodies  and  active  wrigglings  are  not  so  easy  to  despatch  as 
ordinary  fish,  and  are  ac- 
cordingly taken  on  shore 
and  banged  against  the 
ground  until  disabled. 

Like  many  other  birds, 
the  Heron  is  able  to  dis- 
gorge the  food  which  it 
has  swallowed,  and  re- 
sorts to  this  measure  when 
it  is  chased  by  birds  of 
prey  while  going  home 
after  a  day's  fishing. 

While  engaged  in  its 
search  for  food,  the  Her- 
on stands  on  the  water's 
edge  mostly  with  its  feet 
or  foot  immersed,  and 
there  remains  still,  as  if 
carved  out  of  wood,  with 
its  neck  retracted  and  its 
head  resting  between  the  ^ 
shoulders.  In  this  atti- 
tude its  sober  plumage 
and  total  stillness  render 
it  very  inconspicuous, 
and,  as  it  mostly  prefers 
to  stand  under  the  shadow  of  a  tree,  bush,  or  bank,  it  cannot  be  seen 
except  by  a  practised  eye,  in  spite  of  its  large  size. 

The  long  beak  of  the  Heron  is  very  sharp  and  dagger-like,  and  can 
be  used  with  terrible  force  as  an  ofiensive  weapon.  The  bird  instinct- 
ively aims  its  blow  at  the  eye  of  its  adversary,  and  if  incautiously 
handled  is  sure  to  deliver  a  stroke  quick  as  lightning  at  the  captor's 
eye.  The  beak  of  a  species  of  Heron  set  upon  a  stick  is  used  by  some 
savage  tribes  as  a  spear. 

The  nest  of  the  Heron  is  almost  invariably  built  upon  some  elevated 
spot,  mostly  the  top  of  a  large  tree,  but  sometimes  on  rocks  near  the 
coast.     It  is  a  large  and  rather  clumsy-looking  edifice,  made  of  sticks 


1,  Green  Heron. 
Great  White  Heron. 


Herons. 
2.  Night  Heron. 


3.  Young.      4. 


456 


THE  BITTERN. 


and  lined  with  wool.     The  eggs  are  from  four  to  five  in  number,  and 
their  color  is  pale  green. 

The  Bittern  is  now  seldom  seen  in  this  country,  partly  because  it 
is  a  rare  bird  and  becoming  scarcer  almost  yearly,  and  partly  because 
its  habits  are  nocturnal,  and  it  sits  all  day  in  the  thickest  reeds  or  other 
aquatic  vegetation.  The  marshy  grounds  of  Essex  seem  to  be  the  spots 
most  fiivored  by  this  bird  at  the  present  day,  although  specimens  are  an- 
nually killed  in  various  parts  of  the  country. 

lu  habits  and  food  the  Bittern  resembles  the  Heron,  except  that  it 

feeds  by  night  instead  of 
by  day.  Like  that  bird, 
it  uses  its  long  sharp 
beak  as  a  weapon  of  of- 
fence, and  chooses  the 
eye  of  its  adversary  as 
the  point  at  which  to  aim. 
The  feet  and  legs  are  also 
powerful  weapcjns,  and 
when  disabled  from  flight 
the  Bittern  will  fling  it- 
self on  its  back  and  fight 
desperately  with  foot  and 
bill. 

The  nest  of  the  Bittern 
is  placed  on  the  ground 
near  water,  and  concealed 
among  the  rank  vegeta- 
tion that  is  found  in  such 
localities.  It  is  made  of 
sticks  and  reeds,  and  gen- 
erally contains  about  four 
or  five  pale-brown  eggs. 
The  voice  of  the  Bittern 
varies  with  the  season 
of  the  year.  Usually  it  is 
a  sharp,  harsh  cry  uttered 
on  rising,  but  in  the  breeding  season  the  bird  utters  a  loud  booming 
cry  that  can  be  heard  at  a  great  distance. 

The  general  color  of  this  fine  bird  is  rich  brownish  bufi*,  covered  with 
irregular  streaks  and  mottlings  of  black,  dark  brown,  gray,  and  chest- 
nut. The  top  of  the  head  is  black  with  a  gloss  of  bronze,  the  cheeks 
are  buff;  and  the  chin  white  tinged  with  buflE".  Down  the  front  of  the 
neck  the  feathers  are  marked  with  bold  longitudinal  dashes  of  blackish 
and  reddish  brown,  and  the  feathers  of  the  breast  are  dark  brown  broad- 


Herons  and  Bitterns. 
1.  Yellow-crowned    Heron.       2.   ftreat    Heron 
American  Bittern.     4.  Least  Bittern. 


THE  SPOONBILL. 


457 


ly  edged  with  buff.  The  under  surface  of  the  body  is  buff  streaked  with 
brown,  the  beak  is  greenish  yellow,  and  the  feet  and  legs  are  green.  In 
total  length  the  Bittern  measures  about  thirty  inches. 

The  well-known  Spoonbill  affords  an  instance  of  the  endless  variety 
of  forms  assumed  by  the  beak. 

It  has  a  very  wide  range  df  country,  being  spread  over  the  greater 
part  of  Europe  and  Asia,  and  inhabiting  a  portion  of  Africa.  This 
species  is  one  of  the 
Waders,  frequenting  the 
waters,  and  obtaining  a 
subsistence  from  the 
fish,  reptiles,  and  small- 
er aquatic  inhabitants, 
which  it  captures  in  the 
broad  spoon-like  extrem- 
ity of  its  beak.  It  is  also 
fond  of  frequenting  the 
seashore,  where  it  finds 
a  bountiful  supply  of 
food  along  the  edge  of 
the  waves  and  in  the 
little  pools  that  are  left 
by  the  retiring  waters, 
where  shrimps,  crabs, 
sand-hoppers,  and  sim- 
ilar animals  are  crowd- 
ed closely  together  as 
the  water  sinks  through 
the  sand.  The  bird  also  ^ 
eats  some  vegetable  sub- 
stances, such  as  the  roots 
of  aquatic  herbae^e,  and      ^   ^  ^       ,  .„     «   * 

,       ^  .  ^  ®  .„       1.  Roseate  Spoonbill.     2.  American  Avoset. 

when  m  COnhnement  will  piover.     4.  Semipalmated  Sandpiper. 

feed    upon    almost    any 

kind  of  animal  or  vegetable  matter,  providing  it  be  soft  and  moist. 
The  beak  of  an  adult  Spoonbill  is  about  eight  inches  in  length,  very 
much  flattened,  and  is  channelled  and  grooved  at  the  base.  In  some 
countries  the  beak  is  taken  from  the  bird,  scraped  very  thin,  and  pol- 
ished, and  is  then  used  as  a  spoon,  and  is  thought  a  valuable  article, 
being  sometimes  set  in  silver. 

The  breeding-places  of  the  Spoonbill  are  usually  open  trees,  the  banks 
of  rivers  or  in  little  islands  and  tufts  of  aquatic  herbage.  In  the  latter 
cases  the  nest  is  rather  large,  and  is  made  of  reeds  piled  loosely  together, 
and  set  on  a  foundation  of  water-weeds  heaped  sufficiently  high  to  keep 

39 


3.  Ruddy 


458 


THE  STORK. 


tlie  eggs  from  the  wet.  There  is  no  lining  to  the  nest.  The  eggs  are 
generally  four  in  number,  and  their  color  is  grayish  white  spotted  with 
rather  pale  rusty  brown. 

The  Stork  is  another  of  the  birds  which  in  the  olden  days  were  tol- 
erably frequent  visitors  to  the  British  Islands,  but  which  now  seldom 
make  their  appearance  in  such  inhospitable  regions,  where  food  is 
i  irce  and  guns  are  many. 

It  is  sufficiently  common  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  whither  it  mi- 
grates yearly  from  its  winter-quarters  in  Africa,  makes  its  nest,  and 
rears  its  young. 

The  Stork  attaches  itself  to  man  and  his  habitations,  building  its 
huge  nest  on  the  top  of  his  house,  and  walking  about  in  his  streets  as 

familiarly  as  if  it  had 
built  them.  It  especial- 
ly parades  about  the  fish- 
markets,  where  it  finds  no 
lack  of  subsistence  in  the 
offal ;  and  in  Holland, 
where  it  is  very  common, 
it  does  good  service  by 
destroying  the  frogs  and 
other  reptiles  which  would 
be  likely  to  become  a  pub- 
lic nuisance  unless  kept 
down  by  the  powerful  aid 
of  this  bird. 

The  Stork  is  fond  of 
making  its  nest  upon 
some  elevated  spot,  such 
as  the  top  of  a  house,  a 
chimney,  or  a  church- 
spire,  and  in  the  ruined 
cities  of  the  East  almost 
every  solitary  pillar  has 
its  Stork's  nest  upon  the 
summit.  The  nest  is  little 
,,  ,^  ,  more  than  a  heterogene- 

feTORK   (Ciconin  albaK  ,         m  n        f-   i 

ous  bundle  oi  sticks, 
reeds,  and  similar  substances  heaped  together  and  with  a  slight  de- 
pression for  the  eggs.  These  are  usually  three  or  four  in  number, 
and  their  color  is  white  with  a  tinge  of  buff. 

The  color  of  the  adult  Stork  is  pure  white  with  the  exception  of  the 
quill  feathers  of  the  wings,  the  scapularies,  and  greater  wing-coverts, 
which  are  black.     The  skin  round  the  eye  is  black,  the  eyes  are  brown. 


THE   ADJUTANT. 


469 


and  the  beak,  legs,  and  toes  red.  The  length  of  the  full-grown  bird  is 
about  three  feet  six  inches,  and  when  erect  its  head  is  about  four 
feet  from  the  ground. 

There  are  several  remarkable  members  of  this  group,  one  of  which  is 
the  well-known  Adjutant,  or  Argala,  of  India,  the  former  name 
being  derived  from  its  habit  of  frequenting  the  parade-bounds. 

This  fine  bird  is  notable  for  the  enormous  size  of  the  beak,  which  is 
capable  of  seizing  and  swallowing  objects  of  considerable  size,  a  full- 
grown  cat,  a  fowl,  or  a  leg  ^^ 
of  mutton  being  engulfed  ~-y—: 
without  any  apparent  dif-r 
ficulty.  The  Adjutant  is 
a  most  useful  bird  in  tlie 
countries  which  it  inhab- 
its, and  is  protected  with 
the  utmost  care,  as  it 
thoroughly  cleans  the 
streets  and  public  places 
of  the  various  offal  which 
is  flung  carelessly  in  the 
way,  and  would  be  left  to 
putrefy  but  for  the  con- 
stant services  of  the  Ad- 
jutant and  creatures  of 
similar  habits. 

It  is  easily  tamed,  and 
soon  attaches  itself  to  a 
kind  owner,  sometimes, 
indeed,  becoming  abso- 
lutely troublesome  in  its 
familiarity.  Mr.  Smeath- 
man  mentions  an  instance 
where  one  of  these  birds 
w^as  domesticated,  and 
was  accustomed  to  stand 
behind  its  master's  chair  at  dinner-time  and  take  its  share  of  the  meal. 
It  was,  however,  an  incorrigible  thief,  and  was  always  looking  for  some 
opportunity  of  stealing  the  provisions,  so  that  the  servants  were  forced 
to  keep  watch  with  sticks  over  the  table.  In  spite  of  their  vigilance 
it  was  often  too  quick  for  them,  and  once  it  snatched  a  boiled  fowl  off 
the  dish  and  swallowed  it  on  the  spot. 

The  exquisitely  fine  aad  flowing  plumes  termed  "Marabou  feathers" 
are  obtained  from  the  Adjutant  and  a  kindred  species,  the  Marabou  of 
Africa  {Leptoptilos  Mural 


The  Adjutant  {Leptoptilos  Argala). 


460 


THE  SACRED  IBIS  AND  THE  GLOSSY  IBIS. 


The  general  color  of  the  Adjutant  is  delicate  ashen  gray  above  and 
white  beneath.  The  great  head  and  proportionately  large  neck  are 
almost  bare  of  covering,  having  only  a  scanty  supply  of  down  instead 
of  feathers.  From  the  lower  part  of  the  neck  hangs  a  kind  of  dewlap, 
which  can  be  inflated  at  the  will  of  the  bird,  but  generally  hangs  loose 
and  flabby. 

The  Sacred  Ibis  is  one  of  a  rather  curious  group  of  birds.  With 
one  exception  they  are  not  possessed  of  brilliant  coloring,  the  feathers 

being  mostly  white  and  deep  pur- 
plish black.  The  Scarlet  Ibis, 
however,  is  a  most  magnificent, 
though  not  very  large  bird,  its 
plumage  being  of  a  glowing  scar- 
let, relieved  by  a  few  patches  of 
black. 

The  Sacred  Ibis  is  so  called  be- 
cause it  figures  largely  in  an  evi- 
dently sacred  character  on  the 
hieroglyphs  of  ancient  Egypt. 
It  is  a  migratory  bird,  arriving 
in  Egypt  as  soon  as  the  waters  of 
the  Nile  begin  to  rise,  and  re- 
maining in  that  land  until  the 
waters  have  subsided,  and  there- 
fore deprived  it  of  its  daily  sup- 
plies of  food.  The  bird  probably 
owes  its  sacred  character  to  the  fact  that  its  appearance  denotes  the 
rising  of  the  Nile — an  annual  phenomenon  on  which  depends  the 
prosperity  of  the  whole  country. 

By  the  natives  of  Egypt  it  is  called  the  Abou  Hannes— i.  e.,  Father 
John— or  Abou  Menzel— i.e..  Father  Sickle-bill—tlie  former  name 
being  in  use  in  Upper  and  the  other  in   Lower  Egypt. 

The  color  of  the  adult  bird  is  mostly  pure  silvery  white,  the  feathers 
being  glossy  and  closely  set,  with  the  exception  of  some  of  the  second- 
aries, which  are  elongated  and  hang  gracefully  over  the  wings  and 
tail.  These,  together  with  the  tips  of  the  primaries,  are  deep  glossy 
black,  and  the  head  and  neck  are  also  black,  but,  being  devoid  of 
feathers,  have  a  slight  brownish  tinge,  like  that  of  an  ill-blacked  boot 
or  an  old  crumpled  black  kid  glove.  While  young  the  head  and  neck 
are  clothed  with  a  blackish  down,  but  when  the  bird  reaches  maturity 
even  this  slender  covering  is  shed,  and  the  whole  skin  is  left  bare. 
The  body  is  little  larger  than  that  of  a  common  fowl. 

Another  species,  the  Glossy  Ibis,  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  Northern 
Africa,  but  is  sometimes  found  in  this  country,  where  the  fishermen 


TiiE  Sacred  Ibis  [Ibis  relyiosa). 


THE  CURLEW. 


461 


know  it  by  the  name  of  Black  Curlew.     It  is  probably  the  Black  Ibis 
mentioned  by  Herodotus. 

The  Curlew,  or  Whaup,  is  found   mostly  upon  the  seashore  and 


The  Glossy  Ibis  {Ibis  falcinellus). 

open  moorlands,  and,  partly  on  account  of  its  wild,  shy  habits,  partly 
because  its  flesh  is  very  delicate  and  well  flavored,  is  greatly  pursued 
by  sportsmen.  These  birds  are  very  annoying  to  a  gunner  who  does 
not  understand  their  ways, 
having  a  fashion  of  keep- 
ing just  out  of  gun-range, 
rising  from  the  ground 
with  a  wild,  mournful 
cry  which  has  the  efiect 
of  alarming  every  other 
bird  within  hearing,  and 
flying  off*  to  a  distance, 
where  they  alight  only 
to  play  the  same  trick 
again.  Moreover,  they 
are  strong  on  the  wing 
and  well  feathered,  so 
that  they  require  a  sharp 
blow  to  bring  them  down, 

and  necessitate  the  use  of 

j  1    -  The  Curlew  {^umeiuus  urqmta). 

The  breeding-grounds  of  the  Curlew  are  inland,  the  locality  varying 
according  to  the  character  of  the  district,  wild  heath  and  high  hilly 


462 


THE  AVOCET  AND  THE   RUFF. 


grounds  being  chosen  in  some  places,  while  marshy  and  boggy  soils  are 
favored  in  others.  The  nest  of  this  bird  is  very  slight,  being  only  a 
small  heap  of  dry  leaves  or  grasses  scraped  together  under  the  shelter 
of  a  tuft  of  heather  or  a  bunch  of  rank  grass.  There  are  usually  four 
eggs,  placed,  as  is  customary  with  such  birds,  with  their  small  ends  to- 
gether, and  being  much  larger  at  one  end  than  at  the  other.  Their 
color  is  brownish  green,  with  some  blotches  and  splashes  of  dark  brown 
and  a  darker  green. 

The  AvocET  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  among  English  birds, 
and  is  easily  recognizable  by  its  long,  curiously-curved  beak  and  its 
boldly-pied  plumage. 

It  is  not  a  common  bird  in  England,  and  is  now  but  seldom  seen, 
though  in  former  days  it  used  to  be  tolerably  plentiful  on  the  seacoasts 

and  in  marshy  lands.  The 
long  and  oddly-curved  beak 
is  very  slender  and  pointed, 
and  from  its  peculiar  shape 
has  earned  for  its  owner 
the  name  of  Cobbler's-Awl 
Bird.  The  food  of  the 
Avocet  consists  almost 
wholly  of  worms,  insects, 
and  little  crustaceans;  and 
while  the  bird  is  engaged 
in  the  search  after  these 
creatures  it  paddles  over 
the  oozy  mud  with  its  webbed  feet,  and  traverses  the  soft  surface  with 
nmch  ease  and  some  celerity. 

The  nest  of  the  Avocet  is  placed  on  the  ground  in  some  convenient 
hollow,  and  the  eggs  are  yellowish  brown  with  black  marks. 

Like  many  other  birds  which  depend  for  their  existence  upon  marshy 
and  uncultivated  grounds,  the  Ruff  is  gradually  being  turned  out  of 
England,  and  may  in  time  be  nothing  more  than  a  rare  and  occasional 
visitor. 

It  is  one  of  the  migratory  species,  arriving  in  this  country  in  April 
and  leaving  by  the  end  of  September.  Formerly  it  was  so  common  in 
the  fenny  districts  that  six  dozen  have  been  taken  by  one  bird-catcher 
in  a  single  day. 

The  Ruff  is  a  most  pugnacious  bird,  rivalling,  if  not  exceeding,  the 
game-cock  in  irritability  of  temper  and  reckless  courage.  The  attitude 
of  fighting  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  cock,  but,  as  it  has  no  spurs,  it 
cannot  inflict  severe  wounds,  and  after  a  fierce  contest  neither  party 
will  be  much  the  worse.  Prolonged  and  obstinate  combats  are  waged 
among  the  Ruffs  for  the  possession  of  the  females— popularly  called 


The  AvociiT  {Eecurvirosh-a  avoceila) 


THE  COMMON  SNIPE. 


463 


Reeves — and,  as  the  birds  make  a  great  noise  about  their  affairs,  and 
in  their  eager  combat  trample  down  the  grass  on  the  little  hills  where 
they  love  to  resort,  the  fowler  knows  well  where  to  lay  his  nets. 

The  Ruff  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  peculiarity  from  which  it  de- 
rives its  name — the  projecting  ruff  of  long,  closely-set  feathers  which 
surrounds  the  neck  and  can  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  This 
ruff  belongs  only  to  the  adult  males,  and  is  assumed  by  them  during 
the  short  breeding  season, 
being  in  greatest  perfection 
about  the  beginning  of  June, 
and  falling  off  by  degrees  from 
July  to  August  and  September. 

The  Common  Snipe  is  too 
well  known  to  need  much  de- 
scription. Its  habits,  however, 
are  interesting,  and  deserve 
some  notice. 

This  bird  may  be  seen  all 
over  England  wherever  damp 
and  swampy  places  are  found. 
When  first  flushed  it  shoots 
off  in  a  straight  line  for  a 
few  yards,  and  then  begins  to 
twist  and  turn  in  a  strangely 
zigzag  fashion,  and  at  last 
darts  away,  thereby  puzzling  The  Snipe  {Nummius  scolapacinns). 
juvenile  sportsmen  greatly,  and  often  escaping  before  its  enemy  has 
got  his  aim. 

The  male  bird  has  a  curious  habit  of  rising  to  a  great  height  in  the 
air,  circling  repeatedly  over  the  same  ground,  and  uttering  continually 
a  peculiar  cry  like  the  words  "Chic!  chic!  chic-a,  chic-a,  chic-a!"  con- 
stantly repeated.  Every  now  and  then  the  bird  makes  a  downward 
stoop,  and  then  emits  a  very  singular  sound,  something  between  the 
bleating  of  a  goat  and  the  buzzing  of  a  slack  harp-string.  How  this 
sound  is  produced  has  long  been  a  subject  of  controversy,  but  I  am 
convinced  that  it  is  produced  by  the  wings— at  all  events,  that  it  is  not 
from  the  mouth. 

During  a  recent  stay  in  the  New  Forest,  I  set  myself  to  the  elucida- 
tion of  this  problem,  and  in  company  with  two  friends  went  toward  sun- 
set to  an  excellent  cover  near  a  large  marsh,  in  which  Snipes  were  al- 
most as  plentiful  as  sparrows.  From  this  post  we  could  watch  the 
Snipes  to  great  advantage,  and  the  birds  would  come  circling  over 
our  heads,  piping  and  drumming  vigorously.  On  several  occasions, 
when  a  Snipe  was  passing  over  us  at  so  low  an  elevation  that  his  i^ng 


464 


THE  WOODCOCK. 


drooping  beak  was  distinctly  visible,  lie  stooped  over  our  heads  and  ut- 
tered his  "  Chic-a  !  chic-a !"  simultaneously  with  the  "  drumming,'*  both 
sounds  being  distinctly  heard  at  the  same  time.  The  first  time  that  we 
clearly  heard  the  double  sound  was  on  June  27th,  but  we  heard  it  re- 
peatedly on  subsequent  occasions.  The  Snipe  remains  a  long  time  upon 
the  wing  while  thus  engaged,  contrary  to  its  usual  habit,  which  is  to  fly 
for  a  short  distance  and  then  to  pitch  again. 

The  nest  of  the  Snipe  is  a  simple  heap  of  leaves  placed  under  the 
shelter  of  a  tuft  of  furze,  heath  or  grass,  and  the  eggs  are  four  in  num- 
ber, of  an  olive-white,  spotted  and  dashed  with  brown  of  different  tones 
toward  and  upon  the  large  end.  The  mother-bird  has  been  known  to 
carry  away  her  young  when  threatened  by  danger. 

The  Woodcock  is  nearly  as  well  known,  though  not  so  plentiful,  as 
the  snipe,  to  which  bird  it  bears  a  considerable  resemblance  in  form, 
plumage,  and  many  habits. 

Generally  it  is  only  a  winter  visitor,  arriving  about  October,  and 
leaving   England  in  March   or  April.     Sometimes,  however,  it  will 

breed  within  the  British  Isles, 
and  there  remain  throughout 
the  summer.  During  their  mi- 
gration the  Woodcocks  fly  at  a 
great  altitude,  and  descend  al- 
most perpendicularly  Upon  the 
spot  where  they  intend  to  rest. 
They  fly  in  companies  of  vary- 
ing numbers,  and  prefer  hazy 
and  calm  weather  for  their 
journey. 

The   food    of   the    Woodcock 

consists  mostly  of  worms,  which 

\^\^s-   it    obtains    with     extraordinary 

,^  skill,  thrusting   its   beak   as  far 

T,       „,  ,  ^,   ,  .    ,  ^  ^^  as  the  nostrils  into  the  soft  moist 

.  .IHE  Woodcock  {Scolopax  rusiicola).  ,,  •>   i  .^^.  ^i      i  -i 

^  ^       earth,  and  hitting  upon  the  hid- 

den worms  with  unerring  skill.  A  tame  Woodcock  has  been  seen  to 
probe  large  turfs  with  its  bill,  and  to  draw  out  a  worm  at  every  thrust 
of  the  long  slender  beak.  It  is  thought  that  the  sense  of  smell  en- 
ables the  bird  to  discover  the  worms  beneath  the  surface.  It  moves 
about  chiefly  on  misty  days,  and  is  said  by  experienced  woodcock- 
shooters  to  prefer  the  northern  side  of  a  hill  to  the  southern. 

It  is  a  very  silent  bird,  seldom  uttering  its  cry  except  when  first 
starting  for  its  feeding-places,  and  hardly  even  crying  when  flushed. 
The  flight  of  the  Woodcock  is  wonderfully  swift,  although  the  wings 
do  not  appear  to  move  very  fast,  and  the  bird  has  a  custom  of  jerking 


THE  JACANAS  AND  THE  CORNCKAKE. 


465 


and  dodging  about  so  quickly  when  it  sees  the  sportsman  that  it  often 
escapes  his  shot.  One  bird  mentioned  by  Mr.  Thompson  used  to  baffle 
an  experienced  sportsman  by  always  feeding  near  an  archway,  and  slip- 
ping through  it  before  the  gun  could  be  brought  to  bear. 

The  nest  of  the  Woodcock  is  made  of  leaves — those  of  the  fern  being 
favorites — closely  laid  together,  but  without  any  particular  skill  in  ar- 
rangement, and  without  lining.  The  full  number  of  eggs  is  four,  and 
their  color  is  buffy  white  with  rusty-brown  blotches. 

The  Jacanas  are  found  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  America.  Their  light 
bodies  and  widely-extended  claws  enable  them  to  walk  on  the  leaves  of 
aquatic  plants  with  equal  ease  and  safety.  As  their  weight  is  just  suf- 
ficient to  sink  the  leaf  a  little  below  the  surface,  they  quite  have  the 
appearance  of  walking  on  the  water  itself.  The  common  Jacana  in- 
habits the  hotter  parts  of  South  America,  and  is  abundant  in  Brazil 
and  Guiana.  It  possesses  large  and  sharp  spurs  on  the  wing.  It  is 
not  a  very  large  bird,  barely  exceeding  a  pigeon  in  bulk. 

We  now  come  to  the  large  family  of  the  Rails,  a  curious  group  of 
birds,  formed  for  rapid  movement,  either  on  the  ground  or  through  the 
water,  but  not  particularly  adapted  for  long  flights.  Many  species  in- 
habit England. 

The  well-known  Corncrake,  or  Landrail,  is  common  in  almost 
every  part  of  the  British  Islands,  its  rough,  grating  call  being  heard 
wherever  the  hay-grass  is  long  enough  to  hide  the  utterer. 

The  bird  runs  with  wonderful  speed  through  the  tall  grass,  and  its 
cry  may  be  heard  now  close  at  hand,  now  in  the  distance,  now  right, 
and  now  left,  without  any  other 
indication  of  the  bird's  where- 
abouts ;   for  so   deftly  does  it 
thread     the    grass-stems    that 
scarcely  a  shaken  blade  indi- 
cates its  presence,  and  it  is  so 
wary  that  it  keeps  itself  well 
hidden  among  the  thick  herb- 
age.     The    cry    of  the   Corn- 
crake may  be  exactly  imitated 
by  drawing  a  quill  or  a  piece 
of  stick  smartly  over  the  large 
teeth  of  a  comb,  or  by  rubbing 
together  two  jagged  strips  of       The  Corncrake  {Orfygomdra  crex). 
bone.     In  either  case  the  bird  may  be  decoyed  within  sight  by  this 
simple  procedure. 

The  nest  of  the  Corncrake  is  placed  on  the  ground,  and  is  made  of 
dry  grass  arranged  in  a  suitable  depression.  It  generally  contains 
from  eight  to  twelve  eggs,  of  a  buffy  white  covered  with  rusty-brown 

2  E 


466 


THE  WATER  HEN. 


spots.  The  shell  is  rather  thick,  and  the  size  of  the  egg  large  in  pro- 
portion to  the  dimensions  of  the  bird. 

The  upper  parts  of  the  body  are  elegantly  mottled  with  dark  black- 
ish brown,  ashen,  and  warm  chestnut,  the  first  tint  occupying  the  centre 
of  each  feather,  the  second  the  edges,  and  the  third  the  tips.  The  wing- 
coverts  are  rusty  red.  The  throat  and  abdomen  are  white,  and  the 
breast  is  greenish  ash,  warming  into  reddish  rust  striped  with  white  on 
the  sides.     In  total  length  the  Corncrake  is  not  quite  ten  inches. 

Our  most  familiar  example  of  the  Gallinules  is  the  Water  Hen, 
sometimes  called  the  Moor  Hen. 

This  bird  may  be  seen  in  plenty  in  every  river  in  England,  and  mostly 
on  every  pond  or  sheet  of  water  where  the  reedy  or  rushy  banks  offer 

it  a  refuge.  -When  start- 
led it  often  dives  on  the 
instant,  and,  emerging 
under  floating  weeds  and 
rubbish,  just  pokes  its  bill 
above  the  surface,  so  that 
the  nostrils  are  uncovered 
by  the  water,  and  remains 
submerged  until  the  dan- 
ger is  passed,  holding  it- 
self in  the  proper  position 
by  the  grasp  of  its  strong 
toes  upon  the  weeds. 

The  nesting  of  this 
bird  is  very  peculiar. 
The  Water  Hen  builds 
a  large  edifice  of  sedges, 

ry  „■    1     i;         X  sticks,  and  leaves,  either 

Uallmula  chloropus).  .11       i       1  , 

^  on  the  bank  close  to  the 

water's  edge,  upon  little  reedy  islands,  or  on  low  banks  overhanging 
the  water,  and  generally  very  conspicuous.  Tli^  mother-bird  has  a 
habit  of  scraping  leaves  and  rushes  over  her  eggs  when  she  leaves 
the  nest— not,  as  some  people  fancy,  to  keep  the  eggs  warm,  but  to 
hide  them  from  the  prying  eyes  of  crows  and  magpies,  jays,  and  other 
egg-devouring  birds. 

The  young  are  able  to  swim  almost  as  soon  as  hatched,  and  for  some 
time  remain  close  to  their  parents.  I  once,  to  ray  great  regret,  shot  by 
mistake  several  young  Moor  Hens,  still  in  their  first  suit  of  black  puffy 
down,  and  paddling  about  among  the  water-lilies  and  other  aquatic 
herbage  where  I  could  not  see  them.  Pike  are  rather  apt' to  carry  off 
little  creatures  by  coming  quickly  under  the  weeds  and  jerking 


The  Water  Hen 


the 


them  under  the  water  before  they  take  the  alar 


m. 


THE  COMMON  COOT  AND  THE  FLAMINGO. 


467 


The  Common  Coot  or  Bald  Coot,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  is 
another  of  our  familiar  British  water-birds,  being  seen  chiefly  in  lakes, 
large  ponds,  and  on  the  quiet  banks  of  wide  rivers. 

The  habits  of  the  Coot  much  resemble  those  of  the  water  hen,  and 
it  feeds  after  a  similar  fashion  ujDon  molluscs,  insects,  and  similar  crea- 
tures, which  it  finds  either  in  the  water  or  upon  land. 

The  nest  of  the  Coot  is  a  huge  edifice  of  reeds  and  rank  water-herbage, 
sometimes  placed  at  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  sometimes  on  little 
islands  at  some  distance  from  shore.  I  have  often  had  to  wade  for 
thirty  or  forty  yards  to  these  nests,  which  have  been  founded  upon 
the  tops  of  little  hillocks  almost  covered  with  water.  The  whole  nest 
is  strongly  though  rudely  made ;  and  if  the  water  should  suddenly  rise 
and  set  the  nest  floating,  the  Coot  is  very  little  troubled  at  the  change, 


The  Coot  {Fulica  atra). 

but  sits  quietly  on  her  eggs  waiting  for  the  nest  to  be  stranded.  The 
eggs  are  generally  about  eight  or  ten  in  number,  and  their  color  is 
olive-white  sprinkled  profusely  with  brown.  The  shell  is  rather  thick 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  egg,  so  that  Coots'  eggs  can  be  car- 
ried away  in  a  handkerchief  without  much  danger  of  being  broken. 

The  well-known  Flamingo  brings  us  to  the  large  and  important 
order  of  Anseres,  or  the  Goose  tribe. 

The  common  Flamingo  is  plentiful  in  many  parts  of  the  Old  World, 
and  may  be  seen  in  great  numbers  on  the  seashore  or  the  banks  of 
large  and  pestilential  marshes,  the  evil  atmosphere  of  which  has  no 
eflfect  on  these  birds,  though  to  many  animals  it  is  most  injurious,  and 
to  man  certain  death.     When  feeding  the  Flamingo    bends  its  neck, 


468 


THE  BERNICLE  GOOSE. 


and,  placiug  the  upper  mandible  of  the  curiously-bent  beak  on  the 
ground  or  under  the  water,  separates  the  nutritive  portions  with  a  kind 
of  spattering  sound,  like  that  of  a  duck  when  feeding.  The  tongue 
of  the  Flamingo  is  very  thick  and  of  a  soft  oily  consistence,  covered 
with  curved  spines  pointing  backward,  and  not  muscular. 

A  flock  of  these  birds  feeding  along  the  seashore  has  a  curious  ap- 
pearance,  bending  their  long  necks  in  regular  succession  as  the  waves 

dash    upon    the    shore,   and    raising 

them  as  the  ripple  passes  away  along 
the  strand.  At  each  wing  is  always 
placed  a  sentinel  bird,  which  makes 
no  attempt  to  feed,  but  remains  with 
neck  erect  and  head  turning  con- 
stantly about  to  detect  the  least  in- 
dication of  danger.  AVhen  a  flock 
of  Flamingos  is  passing  overhead, 
they  have  a  wonderfully  fine  effect, 
their  plumage  changing  from  pure 
white  to  flashing  rose  as  they  wave 
their  broad  wings. 

When  at  rest  and  lying  on  the 
ground  with  the  legs  doubled  under 
the  body,  the  Flamingo  is  still  grace- 
ful, bending  its  neck  into  snaky  coils, 
and  preening  every  part  of  its  plum- 
age with  an  ease  almost  incredible. 
Its  long  and  apparently  clumsy  legs 
are  equally  under  command,  for  the 
bird  can  scratch  its  cheeks  with  its  toes  as  easily  as  can  a  sparrow  or  a 
canary. 

When  flying  the  Flamingo  still  associates  itself  with  its  comrades, 
and  the  flock  form  themselves  into  regular  shapes,  each  band  evidently 
acting  under  the  command  of  a  leader.  The  eggs  are  white,  their 
number  is  two  or  three,  and  the  young  birds  are  all  able  to  run  at  an 
early  age.  Like  many  other  long-legged  birds,  the  Flamingo  has  a 
habit  of  standing  on  one  leg,  the  other  being  drawn  up  and  hidden 
among  the  plumage. 

The  curious  beak  of  this  bird  is  orange-yellow  at  the  base  and  black 
at  the  extremity,  and  the  cere  is  flesh-colored.  When  in  full  plumage 
the  color  is  brilliant  scarlet,  with  the  exception  of  the  quill  feathers, 
which  are  jetty  black.  A  full-grown  bird  will  measure  from  five  to 
SIX  feet  in  height. 

The  Bernicle  Goose  is  found  on  our  shores,  and  seems  to  prefer  the 
western  to  the  eastern  coasts. 


-^i^^     -  -^ 


The  Flamingo  {Phanicoptems 
ruber). 


THE  MUTE  SWAN  AND  THE  HOOPER.  469 

The  name  of  the  Bernicle  Goose  is  given  to  this  bird  because  the 
olden  voyagers  thought  that  it  was  produced  fKom  the  common  barna- 
cle shell,  and  this  notion  had  taken  so  strong'  a  hold  of  their  minds 
that  they  published  several  engravings  representing  the  bird  in  various 
stages  of  its  transformation. 

The  Bernicle  Goose  generally  assembles  in  large  flocks  and  haunts 
large  salt-marshes  near  the  coast,  and  feeds  on  grasses  and  various  algse. 
It  is  a  very  wary  bird,  and  not  easily  approached.  The  eggs  of  this 
species  are  large  and  white.  The  flesh  is  considered  good.  The  bill 
of  the  Bernicle  Goose  is  black,  with  a  reddish  streak  on  each  side.  The 
cheeks  and  throat  are  white,  a  black  streak  runs  from  the  beak  to  the 
eye,  the  upper  parts  are  bold  and  marked  with  black  and  white,  and 
the  lower  parts  are  white.  It  is  a  rather  small  bird,  the  total  length 
barely  exceeding  two  feet. 

The  beautiful  Swans  now  come  before  our  notice.  There  are 
nine  or  ten  species  of  these  fine  birds,  which  are  well  represented 
in  the  British  Isles,  four  species  being  acknowledged  as  English 
birds. 

Our  most  familiar  species  is  the  Tame,  or  Mute  Swan,  so  called 
from  its  silent  habits.  This  elegant  and  graceful  bird  has  long  been 
partially  domesticated  throughout  England,  and  enjoys  legal  protection 
to  a  great  extent,  heavy  penalties  being  proclaimed  against  any  one 
who  kills  a  Swan  without  a  legal  rigltt. 

The  food  of  the  Swan  consists  mostly  of  vegetable  substances,  and 
the  bird  can  readily  be  fattened  on  barley,  like  ordinary  poultry.  The 
young  birds,  called  cygnets,  ought  not  to  be  killed  after  November,  as 
they  then  lose  their  fat  and  the  flesh  becomes  dark  and  tough. 

The  nest  of  the  Swan  is  a  very  large  mass  of  reeds,  rushes,  and 
grasses  set  upon  the  bank,  close  to  the  water,  in  some  sheltered  spot. 
Generally  the  bird  prefers  the  shore  of  a  little  island  as  a  resting-place 
for  its  nest.  Like  other  water-birds,  the  Swan  will  raise  the  nest  by 
adding  fresh  material  before  the  rising  of  the  water  near  which  it  is 
placed.  There  are  generally  six  or  seven  eggs,  large,  and  of  a  dull 
greenish  white.  The  young  are  of  a  light  bluish  gray  color,  and  do  not 
assume  the  beautiful  white  plumage  until  maturity. 

The  mother  is  very  watchful  over  her  nest  and  young,  and  in  com= 
pany  with  her  mate  assaults  any  intruder  upon  the  premises.  During 
the  first  period  of  their  life  the  young  Swans  mount  on  their  mother's 
back,  and  are  thus  carried  from  one  place  to  another.  If  in  the  water, 
the  Swan  is  able  to  sink  herself  so  low  that  the  young  can  scramble 
upon  her  back  out  of  the  water ;  and  if  on  land,  she  helps  them  up  by 
means  of  one  leg. 

The  Hooper,  Elk  Sw^an,  or  Whistling  Swan  may  at  once  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  preceding  species  by  the  shape  and  color  of  the 

40 


470 


THE  BLACK  SWAN. 


beak,  which  is  slender,  without  the  black  tubercle,  and  is  black  at  the 
tip  and  yellow  at  the  base,  the  latter  color  stretching  as  far  as  the 
eye. 

"  The  nest  of  the  Hooper  is  like  that  of  the  Mute  Swan,  and  the  eggs 
are  pale  brownish  white.  The  length  of  the  Hooper  is  about  the  same 
as  that  of  the  mute  species — i.  e.,  five  feet. 

However  emblematical  of  ornithological  fiction  a  Black  Swan  might 
have  been  in  ancient  times,  it  is  now  almost  as  familiar  to  English  eyes 
as  any  of  the  white  species. 

This  fine  bird  comes  from  Australia,  where  it  was  first  discovered  in 
1698.     It  is  a  striking  and  handsome  bird,  the  blood-red  bill  and  the 


The  Mute  8wan  (Oygnvs  olor)  and  the  Whistling  Swan  {Q/gnus  ferus). 

white  primaries  contrasting  beautifully  with  the  deep  black  of  the 
plumage.  It  is  not  so  elegant  in  its  movements  as  the  White  Swan, 
and  holds  its  neck  stiffly,  without  the  easy  serpentine  grace  to  which 
we  are  so  well  accustomed  in  our  British  Swans. 

There  are  very  many  species  of  Ducks,  of  which  we  can  take  but  a 
few  examples. 

The  well-known  Widgeon  is  very  plentiful  in  this  country,  arriving 


TPIE  WIDGEON. 


471 


about  the  end  of  September  or  the  beginning  of  October,  and  assembling 
in  large  flocks. 

These  birds,  although  wary  on  some  occasions,  are  little  afraid  of  the 
proximity  of  man  and  his  habitations,  feeding  boldly  by  day,  instead 


The  Black  Swan  {Oygnm  atratus). 

of  postponing  their  feeding-time  to  the  night,  as  is  often  the  case  with 
water-fowl.  The  food  of  the  Widgeon  consists  mostly  of  grass,  which 
it  eats  after  the  fashion  of  the  common  goose.     The  nest  of  the  Widgeon 


Geese  and  Ducks. 
1.  Hooded  or  Crested  Merganser.     2.  Red-breasted  Merganser.     3.  Blue  Bill  o;  Scaup 
Duck.     4.  American  Widgeon,  Male.     5.  Female  Snow  Goose.     6.  Pied  Duck. 

is  made  of  decayed  reeds  and  rushes,  and  is  lined  with  the  soft  down 
torn  from  the  parent's  body.  The  eggs  are  rather  small,  and  of  a 
creamy-white  color.  The  number  of  eggs  is  from  five  to  eight.  The 
flesh  of  this  bird  is  very  delicate,  and  it  is  largely  sold  in  our  markets. 


472 


THE  MALLARD  AND  THE  TEAL. 


The  common  Mallard,  or  Wild  Duck,  now  comes  before  our  no- 
tice. 

This  is  by  no  means  one  of  the  least  handsome  of  its  tribe,  the  rich 
glossy  green  of  the  head  and  neck,  the  snowy-white  collar,  and  the  vel- 
vet black  of  the  odd  little  curly  feathers  of  the  tail  giviug  it  a  bold  and 
striking  appearance,  which,  but  for  its  familiarity,  would  receive  greater 
admiration  than  it  at  present  obtains.  It  is  the  stock  from  which  has 
descended  our  well-known  domestic  Duck,  to  which  we  are  so  much 
indebted  for  its  flesh  and  its  eggs. 

In  its  wild  state  the  Mallard  arrives  in  this  country  about  October, 
assembling  in  large  flocks,  and  is  immediately  persecuted  in  every  way 
that  the  ingenuity  of  man  can  devise. 

The  nest  of  the  Mallard  is  made  of  grass,  lined  and  mixed  with  down, 


Ducks. 
1.  Long-tailed  Duck.     2.  Female.     3,  Summer  Duck.     4.  Green-winged  Teal.     5.  Can- 
vas-back Duck.     6.  Red-headed  Duck.     7.  Mallard. 

and  is  almost  always  placed  on  the  ground  near  water,  and  sheltered 
by  reeds,  osiers,  or  other  aquatic  plants.  Sometimes,  however,  the  nest 
is  placed  in  a  more  inland  spot,  and  it  now  and  then  happens  that  a 
Duck  of  more  than  usual  eccentricity  builds  her  nest  in  a  tree  at  some 
elevation  from  the  ground,  so  that,  when  her  young  are  hatched,  she  is 
driven  to  exert  all  her  ingenuity  in  conveying  them  safely  from  their 
lofty  cradle  to  the  ground  or  the  water.  Such  a  nest  has  been  observed 
in  an  oak  tree  twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground,  and  at  Heath  Wood, 
near  Chesterfield,  one  of  these  birds  usurped  possession  of  a  deserted 
crow's  nest  in  an  oak  tree.     Many  similar  instances  are  on  record. 

The  eggs  of  the  Mallard  are  numerous,  but  variable,  according  to  the 
individual  which  lays  them,  some  being  far  more  prolific  than  others. 
The  eggs  are  rather  large,  and  of  a  greenish  white  color. 

The  pretty  little  Teal  is  the  smallest  and  one  of  the  most  valuable 


THE  EIDEK  DUCK  AND  THE  GREAT  NORTHERN   DIVER.    473 

of  the  British  Ducks,  its  flesh  being  peculiarly  delicate  and  its  numbers 
plentiful. 

In  the  southern  parts  of  England  the  Eider  Duck  is  only  a  winter 
visitant,  but  remains  throughout  the  year  in  the  more  northern  portions 
of  our  island  and  in  the  North  of  Scotland. 

This  bird  is  widely  celebrated  on  account  of  the  exquisitely  soft  and 
bright  dow^n  which  the  parent  plucks  from  its  breast  and  lays  over  the 
eggs  during  the  process  of  incubation.  Taking  these  nests  is  with  some 
a  regular  business,  not  devoid  of  risk,  on  account  of  the  precipitous  lo- 
calities in  which  the  Eider  Duck  often  breeds.  The  nest  is  made  of 
fine  sea-w^eeds,  and  after  the  mother-bird  has  laid  her  complement  of 
eggs  she  covers  them  with  the  soft  down,  adding  to  the  heap  daily  until 
she  completely  hides  them  from  view. 

The  plan  usually  adopted  is  to  remove  both  eggs  and  down,  when 
the  female  lays  another  set  of  eggs  and  covers  them  with  fresh  down. 


Ducks. 

1.  Gadwall  Duck.    2.  Eider  Duck.    3.  Female.    4.  Smew.    5.  Ruddy  Duck.    6.  Female. 

These  are  again  taken,  and  then  the  male  is  obliged  to  give  his  help  by 
taking  down  from  his  own  breast  and  supplying  the  place  of  that  which 
was  stolen.  The  down  of  the  male  is  pale-colored,  and  as  soon  as  it  is 
seen  in  the  nest  the  eggs  and  down  are  left  untouched,  in  order  to  keep 
up  the  breed. 

We  now  come  to  the  family  of  Colymbidse,  or  Divers. 

The  Great  Northern  Diver  is  common  on  the  northern  coasts  of 
the  British  Islands,  where  it  may  be  seen  pursuing  its  arrowy  course 
through  and  over  the  water,  occasionally  dashing  through  the  air  on 
strong  pinions,  but  very  seldom  taking  to  the  shore,  where  it  is  quite 
at  a  disadvantage. 

The  eggs  of  the  Northern  Divers  are  generally  two  in  number  and 
of  a  dark  olive-brown,  spotted  sparingly  with  brown  of  another  tone. 
They  are  laid  upon  the  bare  ground,  or  on  a  rude  nest  of  flattened 
herbage  near  water,  and  the  mother-bird  does  not  sit,  but  lies  flat  on  the 

40* 


474 


THE  DABCHICK. 


eggs.  If  disturbed,  she  scrambles  iDto  the  water  and  dives  away,  cau- 
tiously keeping  herself  out  of  gunshot,  and  waiting  until  the  danger  is 
past.  Should  she  be  driven  to  fight,  her  long  beak  is  a  dangerous 
weapon,  and  is  darted  at  the  foe  with  great  force  and  rapidity. 

The  head  of  the  adult  Northern  Diver  is  black,  glossed  with  green 
and  purple,  and  the  cheeks  and  back  of  the  neck  are  black  without 
the  green  gloss.  The  back  is  black,  variegated  with  short  white  streaks, 
lengthening  toward  the  breast,  and  the  neck  and  upper  part  of  the 
breast  are  white,  spotted  with  black,  and  cinctured  with  two  collars  of 
deep  black.     The  breast  and  abdomen  are  white.     The  total  length  of 


1.  Black-bellied  Darter.    2.  Female.    3.  Great  Northern  Diver.    4.  Black-headed  Gull. 
5.  Little  Auk. 

the  bird  is  not  quite  three  feet.  The  immature  bird  is  grayish  black 
above,  each  feather  being  edged  with  a  lighter  hue,  and  the  under  parts 
of  the  body  are  dull  white.  In  some  places  this  bird  is  called  the 
Loon. 

The  sub-family  of  the  Grebes  is  represented  in  England  by  severa. 
well-known  species.  All  these  birds  may  readily  be  distinguished  by 
the  peculiar  form  of  the  foot,  in  which  each  toe  is  furnished  with  a 
flattened  web,  the  whole  foot  looking  something  like  a  horse-chestnut 
leaf  with  three  lobes. 

The  best  known  of  the  English  Grebes  is  the  common  Dabchick,  or 
I^iTTLE  Grebe,  the  smallest  and  the  commonest  of  British  species.  It 
IS  a  pretty  little  bird,  quick  and  alert  in  its  movements.  When  alarmed 
It  dives  so  instantaneously  that  the  eye  can  hardly  follow  its  move- 


THE  CRESTED  GREBE. 


475 


ments ;  and  if  at  the  moment  of  its  emergence  it  perceives  itself  still 
in  danger,  it  again  dives,  not  having  been  on  the  surface  for  a  single 
second  of  time.  Like  many  other  aquatic  birds,  it  can  sink  itself  in 
the  water  slowly,  and  often  does  so  when  uneasy,  rising  again  if  relieved 
from  its  anxiety,  or  disappearing  as  if  jerked  under  the  surface  from 


The  Crested  Grebe  {Podiceps  cristatus). 

below.  I  have  often  seen  them  in  a  little  pond  only  a  few  yards  across 
thus  diving  and  popping  up  again  with  almost  ludicrous  rapidity. 

This  bird  can  fly  moderately  well,  and  can  rise  from  the  water  with- 
out difficulty,  when  it  will  circle  about  the  spot  whence  it  rose,  and  keep 
some  five  or  six  feet  above  the  surface,  uttering  the  while  its  curious 
rattling  cry. 

The  nest  of  this  bird  is  made  of  water-weeds,  and  is  placed  among 
the  rank  aquatic  herbage.  It  is  scarcely  raised  above  the  surface,  and 
is  mostly  wet. 

The  eggs  are  five  or  six  in  number,  and  their  normal  color  is  white, 
though  they  soon  become  stained  with  the  decaying  vegetable  mat- 
ter on  which  they  rest,  and  before  hatching  are  of  a  muddy-brown  hue. 

The  food  of  the  Dabchick  consists  of  insects,  molluscs,  little  fish, 
and  the  smaller  crustaceans. 

The  Crested  Grebe  is  found  in  some  of  the  fens  of  the  midland 
counties  of  England,  and  also  inhabits  parts  of  Scotland.  This  bird, 
together  with  the  other  Grebes,  builds  its  nest  of  a  mass  of  roots  and 
reeds  among  sedges.  The  female,  like  the  water  hen,  covers  up  her 
eggs  when  she  leaves  her  nest,  which,  unlike  the  nests  of  most  of  the 
aquatic  birds,  floats  upon  the  surface  of  the  water. 

The  sub-family  of  the  Alcinse,  or  Auks,  has  several  British  represent- 
atives, among  which  the  Great  Auk  is  the  rarest. 


476 


THE  GREAT   AUK. 


This  bird,  formerly  to  be  found  in  several  parts  of  Northern  Europe, 
in  Labrador,  and  very  rarely  in  the  British  Islands,  has  not  been  ob- 
served for  many  years,  and  is  as  completely  extinct  as  the  Dodo.  Al- 
most the  last  living  specimens  known  were  seen  in  the  Orkneys,  and 
were  quite  familiar  to  the  inhabitants  under  the  name  of  the  King  and 
Queen  of  the  Auks. 

According  to  Mr.  Lloyd,  this  bird  formerly  frequented  certain  parts 
of  Iceland,  a  certain  locality  called  the  Auk  Skar  being  celebrated 

for  the  number  of 
Auks  which  nested 
upon  it.  The  Skar, 
however,  is  so  diffi- 
cult of  approach, 
on  account  of  the 
heavy  surf  which 
beats  upon  it,  that 
few  persons  have 
the  daring  to  land. 
In  1813  a  number 
of  Auks  were  taken 
from  the  Skiir,  and, 
horrible  to  relate, 
they  were  all  eaten 
except  one. 

The  eggs  are  va- 
riable in  size,  color, 
and  markings,  some 
being  of  a  silvery- 
white  and  others  of 
a  yellowish -white 
ground,  and  the 
spots  and  streaks 
are  greatly  differ- 
ent in  color  and 
form,  some  being 
yellowish  brown  and  purple,  others  purple  and  black,  and  others  in- 
tense blue  and  green. 

The  upper  surface  of  this  bird  is  black,  except  a  patch  of  pure  white 
round  and  in  front  of  the  eye,  and  the  ends  of  the  secondaries,  w^hich 
are  white.  The  whole  of  the  under  surface  is  white,  and  in  winter  the 
chin  and  throat  are  also  white.  The  total  length  of  the  bird  is  thirty- 
two  inches. 

The  odd  little  Puffin,  so  common  on  our  coasts,  is  remarkable  for 
the  singular  shape,  enormous  size,  and  light  colors  of  its  beak,  which 


The  Great  Auk  {Aka  impennis). 


THE  PUFFIN  AND  THE  PENGUINS. 


477 


really  looks  as  if  it  had  been  originally  made  for  some  much  larger 
bird.  Owing  to  the  dimensions  and  shape  of  the  beak,  it  is  often  called 
the  Sea  Parrot  or  the  Coulterneb. 

The  Puffin  can  fly  rapidly  and  walk  tolerably,  but  it  dives  and  swims 
supremely  well,  chasing  fish  in  the  water,  and  often  bringing  out  a  whole 
row  of  sprats  at  a  time  ranged  along  the  sides  of  its  bill,  all  the  heads 
being  within  the  mouth  and  all  the  tails  dangling  outside.  It  breeds 
upon  the  rocks  and  in  the  rabbit-warrens  near  the  sea,  finding  the 
ready-made  bur- 
rows of  the  rab- 
bit very  conveni- 
ent for  the  recep- 
tion of  its  eggs, 
and  fighting  with 
the  owner  for 
possession  of  the 
burrow.  Where 
rabbits  do  not 
exist  the  Puffin 
digs  its  own  bur- 
row, and  works 
hard  at  its  labor. 
The  egg  is  gen- 
erally placed  sev- 
eral feet  within 
the  holes,  and 
the  parents  de- 
fend it  vigorous- 
ly. Even  the  ra- 
ven makes  little 
by  an  attack,  for 
the  Puffin  grips 
his  foe  as  he  best 
can,  and  tries  to 
tunible   into   the 

sea,  where  the  raven  is  soon  drowned,  and  the  little  champion  returns 
home  in  triumph.  The  egg  is  whit^,  but  soon  becomes  stained  by  the 
earth.     The  food  of  this  bird  consists  of  fish,  crustaceans,  and  insects. 

The  top  of  the  head,  the  back,  and  a  ring  round  the  neck  are  black, 
and  the  cheeks  and  under  surfaces  are  white.  The  beak  is  curiously 
striped  with  orange  upon  bluish  gray,  and  the  legs  and  toes  are  orange. 
The  length  of  this  bird  is  about  one  foot. 

The  Penguins  form  a  very  remarkable  sub-family,  all  its  members 
having  their  wings  modified  into  paddles  useless  for  flight,  but  capable 


The  Puffin  {Fratercula  arctica). 


478 


THE  CAPE   PENGUIN  AND  THE  GUILLEMOT. 


of  being  employed  as  fore-legs  in  terrestrial  progression  when  the  bird 
is  in  a  hurry,  and  probably  as  oars  or  paddles  in  the  water.  There  are 
many  species  of  Penguins,  but,  as  they  are  very  similar  in  general 
habits,  we  must  be  content  with  a  single  example. 

The  Cape  Penguin  is  very  common  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and 
the  Falkland  Islands.     From  the  extraoidinary  sound  it  produces  while 

on    shore,   it    is   called     the 
^^  m^__    Jackass    Penguin.      Darwin 

gives  the  following  interest- 
ing account  of  this  bird : 
''  In  diving  its  little  plume- 
less  wings  are  used  as  fins, 
but  on  the  land  as  fro7it 
legs.  When  crawling  (it  may 
be  said  on  four  legs)  through 
the  tussocks  or  on  the  side 
of  a  grassy  cliff,  it  moved  so 
very  quickly  that  it  might 
^  readily  have  been  mistaken 
for  a  quadruped.  When  at 
sea  and  fishing,  it  comes  to 
the  surface  for  the  purpose 
of  breathing  with  such  a 
spring,  and  dives  again  so 
instantaneously,  that  I  defy  any  one  at  first  sight  to  be  sure  that  it  is 
not  a  fish  leaping  for  sport." 

These  birds  feed  their  young  in  a  very  singular  manner.  The  parent 
bird  gets  on  a  hillock  and  apparently  delivers  a  v^ery  impassioned  speech 
for  a  few  minutes,  at  the  end  of  which  it  lowers  its  head  and  opens  its 
beak.  The  young  one,  who  has  been  a  patient  auditor,  thrusts  its  head 
into  the  open  beak  of  the  mother,  and  seems  to  suck  its  subsistence 
from  the  throat  of  the  parent  bird.  Another  speech  is  immediately 
made,  and  the  same  process  repeated,  until  the  young  is  satisfied. 

This  Penguin  is  very  courageous,  but  utterly  destitute  of  the  better 
part  of  courage — discretion ;  for  it  will  boldly  charge  at  a  man  just  as 
Don  Quixote  charged  the  wind-mills,  and  with  the  same  success,  as  a 
few  blows  from  a  stick  are  sufficient  to  lay  a  dozen  birds  prostrate. 
The  common  Guillemot  is  an  example  of  the  next  sub-family. 
This  bird  is  found  plentifully  on  our  coasts  throughout  the  year,  and 
may  be  seen  swimming  and  diving  with  a  skill  little  inferior  to  that  of 
the  divers.  It  can,  however,  use  its  legs  and  wings  tolerably  well,  and 
is  said  to  convey  its  young  from  the  rocks  on  which  it  is  hatched  by 
taking  it  on  the  back  and  flying  down  to  the  water. 

The  Guillemot  lays  one  egg,  singularly  variable  in  color.     I  possess 


The  Penguin  {Spheniscus  demer 


THE  STORMY  PETREL. 


479 


several  eggs,  all  unlike,  and  Mr.  Champley  has  five  hundred,  no  two 
of  which  are  similar,  the  ground-coloring  being  of  every  shade,  from 
pure  white  to  intense  red,  and 
from  pale  stone-color  to  light 
and  dark  green. 

The  curious  family  of  the  Pe- 
trels now  comes  before  us.  A 
well-known  British  example  is 
the  Stormy  Petrel,  known  to 
sailors  as  Mother  Carey's 
Chicken,  and  hated  by  them 
after  a  most  illogical  manner  be- 
cause it  foretells  an  approaching 
storm. 


The  Guiij.emot  ( Uria  Troik). 


This  bird  has  long  been  celebrated  for  the  manner  in  which  it  passes 
over  the  waves,  pattering  with  its  webbed  feet  and  flapping  its  wings 
so  as  to  keep  itself  just  above  the  surface.  It  thus  traverses  the  ocean 
with  wonderful  ease,  the  billows  rolling  beneath  its  feet  and  passing 
away  under  the  bird  without  in  the  least  disturbing  it.     It  is  mostly 


The  Stormy  Petrel  [Tlada^^idiunm  pdagica). 
on  the  move  in  windy  weather,  because  the  marine  creatures  are  flung 
to  the  surface  by  the  chopping  waves  and  can  easily  be  picked  up  as 
the  bird  pursues  its  course.     It  feeds  on  little  fish,  crustaceans,  and 


480 


THE  WANDEKING  ALBATROSS. 


molluscs,  which  are  found  in  abundance  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  es- 
pecially on  the  floating  masses  of  algse,  and  will  for  days  keep  pace 
with  a  ship  for  the  sake  of  picking  up  the  refuse  food  thrown  over- 
board. Indeed,  to  throw  the  garbage  of  fish  into  the  sea  is  a  toler- 
ably certain  method  of  attracting  these  birds,  who  are  sharp-sighted 
and  seldom  fail  to  perceive  anything  eatable.  The  name  of  Petrel 
is  given  to  the  bird  on  account  of  its  powers  of  walking  on  the  water, 
as  is  related  of  St.  Peter. 

This  Petrel  breeds  on  our  northern  coasts,  laying  a  white  egg  in  some 
convenient  recess,  a  rabbit-burrow  being  often  employed  for  the  purpose. 

The  well-known  Wandering  Albatross  is  the  largest  of  all  the 
species. 

This  fine  bird  is  possessed  of  wondrous  powers  of  wing,  sailing  along 
for  days  together  without  requiring  rest,  and  hardly  ever  flapping  its 


The  Wandering  Albatross  {Diomedea  exulans). 
wings,  merely  swaying  itself  easily  from  side  to  side  with  extended 
pinions.  It  is  found  in  the  southern  seas,  and  is  very  familiar  to  all 
those  who  have  voyaged  through  that  portion  of  the  ocean.  Like 
the  Petrel,  it  follows  the  ships  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  food,  and  so 
voracious  is  the  bird  that  it  has  been  observed  to  dash  at  a  piece 
of  blubber  weighing  between  three  and  four  pounds  and  to  gulp  it 
down  entire. 


THE  FULMAR  PETREL,  GULL,  AND  TERN. 


481 


The  Fulmar  Petrel  {Procellaria  gladaUa 


from  the  summit  and  the  bottom  of 


The  Albatross  makes  its  home  on  the  lofty  precipices  of  Tristan 
d'Acunha,  the  Crozettes,  the  Marion  Islands,  and  other  similar  lo- 
calities. 

The  Fulmar  Petrel  is  a  rather  large  bird,  being  about  nineteen 
inches  long  and  stoutly- 
built.  It  is  very  plenti- 
ful at  St.  Kilda,  and  is 
used  for  various  purposes, 
furnishing  down  and  oil, 
besides  being  itself  eaten. 
Like  several  other  petrels, 
the  Fulmar  is  able,  when 
alarmed,  to  eject  from  the 
mouth  the  oil  with  which 
it  is  so  liberally  supplied. 
The  egg — for  there  is  never 
more  than  one — of  the  Ful- 
mar Petrel  is  laid  upon  a 
narrow  ledge  of  cliff,  and 
always  at  a  considerable  distance 
the  rock. 

The  Great  Black-backed  Gull  is  a  very  fine  bird,  not  very  plen- 
tiful on  our  coasts,  but  spread  over  the  greater  part  of  the  British 
shores. 

This  bird  prefers  low-lying  and  marshy  lands,  and  is  found  on  the 
flat  shores  of  Kent  and  Essex  at  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  where.it 
is  popularly  known  under  the  name  of  the  Cob.  It  is  very  plentiful 
on  the  shores  of  Sweden  and  Norway,  and  on  some  of  the  islands  of 
Shetland  and  Orkney  it  breeds  in  abundance,  the  eggs  being  highly 
valued  on  account  of  their  rich  flavor  and  large  size. 

It  is  a  fierce  bird,  and  when  wounded  will  fight  vigorously  for  its 
liberty.  The  nest  of  this  species  is  of  grass,  and  generally  contains 
three  eggs  of  greenish  dun  flecked  w^ith  gray^and  brown.  In  the  sum- 
mer plumage  the  head  and  neck  of  the  Great  Black-backed  Gull  are 
white;  the  upper  surface  of  the  body  is  dark  leaden  gray,  with  some 
white  upon  the  quill  feathers  of  the  wings;  the  whole  of  the  under  sur- 
face is  pure  white  ;  and  the  legs  and  feet  are  pinkish.  The  length  of 
this  bird  is  about  thirty  inches. 

The  common  Tern,  or  Sea  Swallow,  is  very  plentiful  on  our  coasts, 
and  may  be  seen  flying  along  on  rapid  wing,  its  long  forked  tail  giving 
it  so  decidedly  a  swallow-like  air  that  its  popular  name  of  Sea  Swallow 
is  well  applied. 

The  Tern  breeds  on  low-lying  lands  and  makes  a  very  rude  nest, 
being,  indeed,  nothing  more  than  a  shallow  depression  in  the  earth, 

41  2  F 


482 


THE  TROPIC  BIRD. 


into  which  are  scraped  a  few  sticks,  stones,  and  dry  grasses.  The  Tern 
reaches  this  country  about  May  and  departs  in  September.  An  adult 
bird  in  summer  phimage  has  the  tip  of  the  head  and  the  nape  of  the 

neck  jet  black,  the 
upper  part  of  the 
body  ashen  gray,  the 
under  surface  white, 
and  the  legs,  feet, 
and  bill  coral-red, 
the  bill  deepening 
into  black  at  the 
tip.  The  length  of 
the  Tern  rather  ex- 
ceeds fourteen  in- 
ches ;  much  of  it  is 
due  to  the  long  fork- 
ed feathers  of  the 
tail. 

The  Tern  {Sterna  Jammh,)  y^iQ  now  arrive  at 

the  last  family  of  birds,  the  Pelicans,  a  group  which  includes  many 
species,  all  remarkable  for  some  peculiarity,  and  many  of  them  really 
fine  and  handsome  birds. 

As  its  name  implies,  the  Tropic  Bird  is  seldom  to  be  seen  outside 
the  tropics  unless  driven  by  storms.     It  is  wonderfully  powerful  on  the 

wing,  being  able 
to  soar  for  a 
considerable  pe- 
riod, and  passing 
whole  days  in 
the  air  without 
needing  to  settle. 
As  a  general 
fact,  the  birds  do 
not  fly  to  very 
great  distances 
from  land,  three 
hundred  miles 
being  about  the 
usual  limit;  but 
Dr.  Bennett  ob- 

Ttit'  'ri>->u,..  F>,or.  /  d;  ■;        sL        ^  scrvcd    thein    on 

lUE   iKoPJc  i>iRD  [Phaeton  cethereus). 

one  occasion 

when  the  nearest  land  was  about  one  thousand  miles  distant.  The 
long  tail-shafts  of  the  Tropic  Bird  are  much  valued  in  many  lands, 


THE  GANNET  AND  THE  CORMORANT.        483 

the  natives  wearing  them  as  ornaments  or  weaving  them  into  various 
implements. 

The  Tropic  Bird  breeds  in  the  Mauritius.  The  total  length  of  this 
bird  is  about  two  feet  six  inches,  of  which  the  tail-feathers  occupy  about 
fifteen  inches. 

The  Gannet,  Solan  Goose,  or  Spectacled  Goose,  is  a  well-known 
resident  on  our  coasts,  its  chief  home  being  the  Bass  Rock  in  the  Frith 
of  Forth,  on  which  it  congregates  in  vast  numbers. 

The  Gannet  is  a  large  bird,  nearly  three  feet  long,  and,  being  power- 
ful on  the  wing  and  possessed  of  a  large  appetite,  it  makes  great  havoc 
among  the  fish  which  it  devours.  Herrings,  pilchards,  sprats,  and 
similar  fish  are  the  favorite  food  of  the  Gannet,  and  as  soon  as  the 
shoals  of  herrings  approach  the  coast  the  Gannets  assemble  in  flocks 
and  indicate  to  the  fishermen  the  presence  and  position  of  the  fifli. 


The  Cormorant  (Graculus  Carbo). 

The  nest  of  the  Gannet  is  a  heap  of  grass,  seaweed,  and  similar  sub- 
stances, on  which  is  laid  one  very  pale  blue  egg,  which,  however,  does 
not  long  retain  its  purity.  The  young  are  clothed  with  white  pufl^y 
down,  which  after  a  while  changes  to  nearly  black  feathers,  the  white 
plumage  not  being  assumed  until  the  bird  has  reached  full  age.  The 
head  and  neck  of  the  full-grown  bird  are  buff,  the  primaries  black,  and 
the  rest  of  the  plumage  white.  The  yearling  bird  is  almost  wholly 
black,  covered  with  streaks  and  triangular  marks  of  grayish  white. 
The  total  length  of  this  bird  is  about  thirty-four  inches. 

The  common  Cormorant  is  well  known  for  its  voracious  habits,  its 
capacities  of  digestion  having  long  been  proverbial. 

This  bird  is  common  on  all  our  rocky  coasts,  where  it  may  be  seen  sit- 


484         THE  CKESTED  CORMORANT  AND  THE  PELICAN. 

tiug  on  some  projecting  ledge,  or  diving  and  swimming  with  great  agility, 
and  ever  and  anon  returning  to  its  resting-place  on  the  rock.  It  is  an 
admirable  swimmer  and  a  good  diver,  and  chases  fish  with  equal  perse- 
verance and  success,  both  qualities  being  needful  to  satisfy  the  wants 
of  its  ever-craving  maw. 

The  Cormorant  can  easily  be  tamed,  and  in  China,  where  everything, 
living  or  dead,  is  utilized,  the  bird  is  employed  for  the  purpose  of  catch- 
ing fish.  The  Cormorants  are  regularly  trained  to  the  task,  and  go  out 
with  their  master  in  a  boat,  where  they  sit  quietly  on  the  edge  until  they 
receive  his  orders.  They  then  dash  into  the  water,  seize  the  fish  in  their 
beaks,  and  bring  them  to  their  owner.  Should  one  of  these  birds  pounce 
upon  a  fish  too  large  for  it  to  carry  alone,  one  of  its  companions  will 
come  to  its  assistance,  and  the  two  together  will  take  the  fish  and  bring 
it  to  the  boat.  Sometimes  a  Cormorant  takes  an  idle  fit  and  swims 
playfully  about  instead  of  attending  to  its  business,  when  it  is  recalled 
to  a  sense  of  duty  by  its  master,  who  strikes  the  water  with  his  oar  and 
shouts  at  the  bird,  who  accepts  the  rebuke  at  once  and  dives  after  its 
prey.  When  the  task  is  completed  the  birds  are  allowed  their  share 
of  fish.  A  detailed  and  interesting  account  of  these  birds  may  be  found 
in  Mr.  Fortune's  work  on  China. 

The  nest  of  th^  Cormorant  is  made  of  a  large  mass  of  sticks,  seaweed, 
and  grass,  and  the  eggs  are  from  four  to  six  in  number,  rather  small  in 
proportion  to  the  dimensions  of  the  parent  bird,  and  of  a  curious  chalky 
texture  externally,  varied  with  a  pale  greenish  blue. 

Another  well-known  British  species  of  this  genus  is  the  Crested 
Cormorant,  Green  Cormorant,  or  Shag,  a  bird  which  can  at  once 

be  distinguished  from  the  preceding  spe- 
cies by  the  green  color  of  the  plumage 
and  the  diflTerence  in  size,  the  length  of 
an  adult  male  being  only  twenty-seven 
inches.  In  habits  this  species  resembles 
the  common  Cormorant. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  well-know'u 
Pelican,  which  is  universally  accepted 
as  the  type  of  the  family.  This  bird  is 
found  spread  over  many  portions  of  Af- 
rica and  Asia,  and  also  in  some  parts  of 
Southern  Europe. 

The   pouch    of  the    Pelican    is    enor- 
mously large,  capable  of  containing  two 
The  Pelican  {Pelecanus  ono-   gallons  of  water,  and  is  employed  by  the 

bird  as  a  basket  wherein  to  carry  the  fish 
which  it  has  caught.  The  Pelican  is  a  good  fisherman,  hpvering 
above  the  water  watching  for  a  shoal  of  fish  near  the  surface.     Down 


THE   FRIGATE   BIRD. 


485 


sweeps  the  bird,  scoops  up  a  number  of  fish  in  its  capacious  pouch,  and 
then  generally  goes  off  homeward. 

The  nest  of  the  Pelican  is  placed  on  the  ground  in  some  retired  spot, 
usually  an  island  in  the  sea  or  the  borders  of  some  inland  lake  or  a 
river.  It  is  made  of  grasses,  and  contains  two  or  three  white  eggs. 
The  female  sits  on  the  eggs,  and  her  mate  goes  off  to  fish  for  her ;  and 
when  the  young  are  hatched  they  are  fed  by  the  parents,  who  turn  the 
fish  out  of  their  pouches  into  the  mouths  of  the  young. 

The  color  of  the  Pelican  is  white,  with  a  delicate  roseate  tinge  like 
that  of  a  blush-rose.  On  the  breast  the  feathers  are  elongated  and  of  a 
golden  yellow.  The  quill  feathers  are  black,  and  the  bill  is  yellow  tip- 
pid  with  red.  The  length  of  the  bird  is  almost  six  feet,  and  the  ex- 
panse of  wung  about  twelve  feet. 


The  Frigate  Bird  (Atagen  Aquila). 

The  last  bird  on  our  list  is  the  well-known  Frigate  Bird,  Sea 
Hawk,  or  Man-of-war  Bird,  an  inhabitant  of  the  tropical  seas.  It 
derives  its  name  of  Man-of-war  Bird  from  its  habit  of  watching  the 
gannets  when  they  fish,  and  than  swooping  upon  them  and  robbing 
them  of  their  prey. 

The  long  black  feathers  of  the  tail  are  in  great  request  among  the 
Society  Islanders,  being  w^oven  as  ornaments  into  the  head-dresses  of 
the  chiefs.     The  nest  of  the  Frigate  Bird  is  sometimes  built  upon  trees 


41  * 


486 


COLOR  OF  THE  FRIGATE  BIRD. 


aiid  bushes  where  the  low  shores  afibrd  no  cliffs,  but  its  usual  locality 
for  breeding  is  on  the  summit  of  some  rocky  height.  On  the  rock  there 
is  no  nest,  but  when  the  bird  breeds  among  trees,  it  makes  a  rude  scaf- 
folding of  sticks  like  the  nest  of  the  wood  pigeon.  There  is  only  one 
effg,  of  a  peculiar  chalky  whiteness,  and  while  sitting  the  bird  is  very 
bold  and  will  not  stir  even  if  pushed  with  a  stick,  snapping  and  biting 
at  the  obnoxious  implement.  The  voice  of  this  bird  is  rough  and 
harsh,  and  is  likened  to  the  sound  produced  by  turning  a  winch. 

The  color  of  the  adult  Frigate  Bird  is  shining  black  glossed  with 
green,  the  female  being  dull  black  above  and  white  streaked  with  cin- 
namon upon  the  head,  breast,  and  under  parts.  The  pouch  on  the 
throat  is  scarlet,  and  when  distended  has  a  very  curious  effect  against 
the  dark  black  of  the  throat  and  neck.  Including  the  long  tail,  the 
male  measures  three  feet  in  length,  but  the  body  is  extremely  small. 
The  expanse  of  the  wings  is  about  eight  feet. 


REPTILES 


REPTILES. 

The  remarkable  beings  which  are  classed  together  under  the  general 
title  of  Reptiles,  or  creeping  animals,  are  si3read  over  those  portions 
of  the  globe  where  the  climate  is  tolerably  warm,  and  are  found  in  the 
greatest  profusion  under  the  hotter  latitudes. 

Some  reptiles  inhabit  the  dry  and  burning  deserts,  but  the  generality 
of  these  creatures  are  semi-aquatic  in  their  habits,  are  fitted  by  their 
structure  for  progression  on  land  or  in  water,  and  are  able  to  pass  a 
considerable  time  below  the  surface  without  requiring  to  breathe.  This 
capacity  is  mostly  the  result  of  the  manner  in  which  the  circulation  and 
aeration  of  their  blood  is  effected. 

In  all  mammalia  and  birds  the  heart  is  divided  into  a  double  set  of 
compartments,  each  having  a  direct  communication  with  the  other.  In 
the  Reptiles,  however,  this  structure  is  considerably  modified,  so  that 
the  blood  is  never  so  perfectly  aerated  as  in  the  higher  animals,  and  is 
consequently  much  colder  than  in  the  creatures  where  the  oxygen  ob- 
tains a  freer  access  to  its  particles. 

In  consequence  of  this  organization,  the  whole  character  of  the  Rep- 
tiles is  widely  diflTerent  from  that  of  the  higher  animals.  Dull  sluggish- 
ness seems  to  be  the  general  character  of  a  Reptile,  for  though  there  are 
some  species  which  whisk  about  with  lightning  speed,  and  others,  espe- 
cially the  larger  lizards,  which  can  be  lashed  into  a  state  of  terrific 
frenzy  by  love,  rage,  or  hunger,  their  ordinary  movements  are  inert, 
their  gestures  express  no  feeling,  and  their  eyes,  though  bright,  are 
stony,  cold,  and  passionless. 

The  young  of  Reptiles  are  produced  from  eggs,  being  mostly  hatched 
after  they  have  been  laid,  but  in  some  cases  the  young  escape  from  the 
eggs  before  they  make  their  appearance  in  the  world.  As  a  general 
fact,  however,  the  eggs  are  placed  in  some  convenient  spot  where 
they  are  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

TORTOISES. 

The  very  curious  reptiles  which  are  known  by  the  general  name  of 
Tortoises  are  remarkable  for  affording  the  first  example  of  a  skeleton 
brought  to  the  exterior  of  the  body — a  formation  which  is  frequent 
enough  in  the  lower  orders,  the  crustaceans  and  insects  being  familiar 
examples  thereof.  In  these  reptiles  the  bones  of  the  chest  are  devel- 
oped into  a  curious  kind  of  box,  more  or  less  perfect,  which  contains 

4sy 


400  THE  COMMON  LAND   TORTOISE. 

withiu  itself  all  the  niuscks  and  the  viscera,  and  in  most  cases  can 
receive  into  its  cavity  the  head,  neck,  and  limbs,  in  one  genus  so  effect- 
ually that  when  the  animal  has  withdrawn  its  limbs  and  head,  it  is 
contained  in  a  tightly-closed  case  without  any  apparent  opening. 

In  the  true  Tortoises  the  feet  are  club-shaped  and  the  claws  blunt, 
and  the  neck  can  be  wholly  withdrawn  within  the  shell. 

Perhaps  the  best-known  species  of  these  creatures  is  the  Common 
Land  Tortoise,  so  frequently  exposed  for  sale  in  our  markets,  and  so 
favorite  an  inhabitant  of  gardens. 

This  appears  to  be  the  only  species  that  inhabits  Europe,  and  even 
on  that  continent  it  is  by  no  means  widely  spread,  being  confined  to 
those  countries  which  border  the  Mediterranean. 

It  is  one  of  the  vegetable  feeders,  eating  various  plants,  and  being 
verv  fond  of  lettuce-leaves,  which  it  crops  in  a  very  curious  manner, 
biting  them  off  sharply  when  fresh  and  crisp,  but  dragging  them  asun- 
der when  stringy  by  putting  the  fore  feet  upon  them  and  pulling  with 
the  jaws.  This  Tortoise  will  drink  milk,  and  does  so  by  opening  its 
mouth,  scooping  up  the  milk  in  its  lower  jaw  as  if  with  a  spoon,  and 
then  raising  its  head  to  let  the  liquid  run  down  its  throat. 

One  of  these  animals,  which  I  kept  for  some  time,  displayed  a  re- 
markable capacity  for  climbing,  and  w-as  very  fond  of  mounting  upon 
various  ailicles  of  furniture,  stools  being  its  favorite  resort.  It  revel- 
IlmI  in  warmth,  and  could  not  be  kept  away  from  the  hearth-rug,  espe- 
cially delighting  to  climb  upon  a  footstool  that  generally  lay  beside  the 
fender. 

Tliis  Tortoise  had  a  curious  kind  of  voice,  not  unlike  the  mewing  of 
a  little  kitten.     The  Common  Tortoise  is  known  to  live  to  a  great  age. 
Another  specimen,  a  very  large  one,  has  been  in  my  possession  for 
several  years.     At  the  end  of  autumn  it  burrows  under  a  heap  of  leaf- 
mould,  and  waits  there  until  the  warm  days  of  spring.     It  feeds  mostly 

on  grass,  and  eats  its  way  in  a  line,  leaving 
a  groove  of  cut  grass  to  mark  its  track. 
With  the  exception  of  strawberry-eating, 
it  does  no  harm  in  the  garden.     It  has  a 
-   most  inexplicable    objection    to    rain,  of 
1  which    not    one    drop    can    penetrate    its 
;  shell ;  and  whenever  a  shower  comes    it 
;  makes  its  way  to  an    earth-bank,   forces 
itself  partly  into  the  loose   soil,  and  re- 
CoMMON  Land  Tortoise      mains    there   with    retracted    head    and 

^^  e  now  come  to  a  group  of  Tortoises  called  Terrapins. 
These  creatures  are  inhabitants  of  the  water,  and  are  found  mostlv  in 
rivers.     They  are  carnivorous  in  their  diet,  and  take  their  food  while 


THE  CHICKEN  TORTOISE  AND  THE  HAWKSBILL  TURTLE.     491 

in  the  water.  They  may  be  known  by  their  flattened  heads,  covered 
with  skin,  sometimes  hard,  but  often  of  a  soft  consistency,  and  their 
broad  feet  with  the  toes  webbed  as  far  as  the  claws. 

The  Chicken  Tortoise  is  found  in  North  America. 

It  is  very  common  in  ponds,  lakes,  or  marshy  grounds,  and,  though 
very  plentiful  and  by  no  means  quick  in  its  movements,  is  not  easily 
caught,  owing  to  its  extreme  wariness. 

The  Chicken  Tortoise  swims  well,  but  not  rapidly,  and  as  it  passes 
along  with  its  head  and  neck  elevated  above  the  surface,  it  looks  so 
like  the  dark  water-snake  of  the  same  country  that  at  a  little  distance 
it  might  readily  be  mistaken  for  that  reptile. 

I  have  kept  several  of  these  reptiles,  and  found  no  difficulty  in  pre- 
serving them  in  health.  They  lived  in  a  tank  in  which  were  several 
large  stones  that  projected  above  the  surface  of  the  water.  On  the 
top  of  these  stones  the  Chicken  Tortoises  loved  to  sit,  and  so  exactly 
did  their  bodies  harmonize  with  the  stones  that  it  was  not  easy  to  de- 
cide at  a  hasty  glance  whether  the  stones  were  bare  or  covered  with 
the  little  Tortoises.  At  first  the  least  movement  or  sound  would  send 
them  tumbling  into  the  water,  but  after  a  while  they  became  used  to 
captivity,  and  would  even  feed  out  of  the  hand. 

Their  diet  consisted  of  meat,  either  raw  or  cooked.  They  used  to 
seize  it  in  their  mouths,  and  then,  placing  a  foot  on  its  side,  push  away 
the  meat,  so  as  to  cut  a  piece  completely  out  with  their  sharp-edged 
jaws.  They  will  even  seize  fish  and  serve  them  in  like  manner,  and 
indeed  it  is  not  safe  to  place  them  in  tanks  wherein  are  any  other  liv- 
ing creatures.  ' 

It  is  rather  a  small  species,  seldom  exceeding  ten  inches  in  length. 
Its  flesh  is  remarkably  excellent,  very  tender,  and  delicately  flavored, 
something  like  that  of  a  young  chicken,  so  that  this  Tortoise  is  in  great 
request  as  an  article  of  food,  and  is  sold  largely  in  the  markets,  though 
not  so  plentifully  as  the  common  salt-water  terrapin.  Its  color  is  dark 
brown  above,  and  the  plates  are  scribbled  with  yellow  lines  and  wrin- 
kled longitudinally.  The  neck  is  long  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
animal — so  long,  indeed,  that  the  head  and  neck  together  are  almost 
as  long  as  the  shell.     The  lower  jaw  is  hooked  in  front. 

The  well-known  Caret,  or  Hawksbill  Turtle,  so  called  frori 
the  formation  of  the  mouth,  is  a  native  of  the  warm  American 
and  Indian  seas,  and  is  common  in  many  of  the  islands  of  those 
oceans. 

The  Hawksbill  Turtle  is  the  animal  which  furnishes  the  valuable 
*'  tortoiseshell "  of  commerce,  and  is  therefore  a  creature  of  great  im- 
portance. The  scales  of  the  back  are  thirteen  in  number,  and,  as  they 
overlap  each  other  for  about  one-third  of  their  length,  they  are  larger 
than  in  any  other  species  where  the  edges  only  meet.     In  this  species, 


492  THE  GREEN  TURTLE  AND  THE  CROCODILE. 

too,  the  scales  are  thicker,  stronger,  and  more  beautifully  clouded  than 
in  any  other  Turtle. 

The  uses  to  which  this  costly  and  beautiful  substance  is  put  are  in- 
miinerable.     The  most  familiar  form  in  which  the  tortoiseshell  is  pre- 
sented to  us  is  the  comb,  but  it  is  also  em- 
ployed for  knife-handles,  boxes,  and  many 
other  articles  of  ornament  or  use. 

The  best  known  of  all  the  Turtles  is 
:i^^^^^^^J  the  celebrated  Green  Turtle,  so  called 
fe^  from  the  green  color  of  its  fat. 

This  useful  animal  is  found  in  the  seas 

and  on  the  shores  of  both  continents,  and 

-^v^_^^^^^^~~^  is  most  plentiful  about  the  island  of  As- 

The  Green  Turtle  {Chelonia  cension  and  the  Antilles,  where  it  is  sub- 

v'^idis).  jgp^  ^Q  incessant  persecution  for  the  sake 

of  its  flesh.     The  shell  of  this  reptile  is  of  very  little  use  and  of  small 

value,  but  the  flesh  is  remarkably  rich  and  well  flavored,  and  the  green 

fat  has  long  enjoyed  a  world-wide  and  fully-deserved  reputation. 

The  eggs  of  the  Turtle  are  thought  as  great  delicacies  as  its  flesh.  It 
is  while  the  female  Turtle  is  visiting  the  shore  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
positing her  eggs  that  she  is  usually  captured,  as  these  sea-loving  reptiles 
care  little  for  the  shore  except  for  this  purpose. 

CROCODILES  AND  ALLIGATORS. 

According  to  the  arrangement  of  the  national  collection  in  the  Brit- 
ish Museum,  the  link  next  to  the  tortoise  tribe  is  formed  of  an  import- 
ant group  of  reptiles,  containing  the  largest  of  the  reptilian  order — 
larger,  indeed,  than  most  present  inhabitants  of  the  earth. 

These  great  reptiles  are  divided,  or  rather  fall  naturally,  into  two 
families — namely,  the  Crocodiles  and  the  Alligators.  All  the  members 
of  these  families  can  easily  be  distinguished  by  the  shape  of  their  jaws 
and  teeth,  the  lower  canine  teeth  of  the  Crocodiles  fitting  into  a  notch 
in  the  edge  of  the  upper  jaw,  and  those  of  the  Alligators  fitting  into 
a  pit  in  the  upper  jaw.  This  peculiarity  causes  an  obvious  diflTerence 
in  the  outline  of  the  head,  the  muzzle  of  the  Crocodiles  being  narrowed 
behind  the  nostrils,  while  that  of  the  Alligators  forms  an  unbroken  line 
to  the  extremity.  A  glance,  therefore,  at  the  head  will  sufl^ce  to  settle 
the  family  to  which  any  species  belongs.  In  the  Crocodiles,  more- 
^)vor,  the  hind  legs  are  fringed  behind  with  a  series  of  compressed 
scales. 

The  most  peculiar  of  these  reptiles  is  the  long-celebrated  Crocodile 
of  Northern  Africa. 
This  terrible  creature  is  found  chiefly  in  the  Nile,  where  it  absolutely 


THE  EGYPTIAN  CROCODILE  AND  THE  ALLIGATOR.      493 


The  Egyptian  Crocodile 

( Ciocodilus  vulgaris ) . 


swarms,  and,  though  a  most  destructive  and  greatly-dreaded  animal, 
is  without  doubt  as  valuable  in  the  water  as  are  the  hysena  and  vul- 
ture upon  the  land.  Living  exclusively  on  animal  food,  and  rather 
preferring  tainted,  or  even  putrefying,  to  fresh  meat,  it  is  of  great  ser- 
vice in  devouring  the  dead  animals  that 
would  otherwise  pollute  the  w^aters  and 
surrounding  atmospliere. 

Human  beings  have  a  great  dread  of 
this    voracious   reptile.      Many   instances  f 
are   known   where    men    have    been   sur-  \\ff^ 
prised  near  the  water's  edge  or  captured 
wdien   they   have    fallen    into    the    river. 
There   is,   it   is   said,   only    one   way   of 
escape   from   the  jaws  of  the   Crocodile, 
and  that  is  to  turn   boldly  upon  the  scaly 
foe  and  press  the  thumbs  into  his  eyes,  so  as  to  force  him   to  relax  his 
hold  or  relinquish  the  pursuit. 

The  eggs  of  the  Crocodile  are  about  as  large  as  those  of  the  goose, 
and  many  in  number,  so  that  these  terrible  reptiles  would  overrun  the 
country  were  they  not  persecuted  in  the  earliest  stages  by  many  crea- 
tures, who  discover  and  eat  the  eggs  almost  as  soon  as  they  are  laid. 
It  is  curious  that  the  Crocodile  is  attended  by  a  bird  which  warns  it  of 
danger,  just  as  the  Rhinoceros  has  its  winged  attendant,  and  the  shark 
its  pilot-fish.  The  Crocodile-bird  is  popularly  called  the  Ziczac,  from 
its  peculiar  cry. 

We  now  come  to  the  Alligators,  the  second  family  of  those  huge 
reptiles,  which  may  be  known,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  by  the 
lower  canine  teeth  fitting  into  pits  in  the  upper  jaw. 

The  Common  Alligator  inhabits  Northern  America,  and  is  plenti- 
fully found  in  the  Mississippi,  the"  lakes  and  rivers  of  Louisiana  and 
Carolina,  and  similar  localities.  It  is  a  fierce  and  dangerous  reptile, 
in  many  of  its  habits  bearing  a  close  resemblance  to  the  crocodiles  and 
the  other  members  of  the  family. 

Unlike  the  crocodile,  however,  it  avoids  the  salt  water,  and  is  but 
seldom  seen  even  near  the  mouths  of  rivers,  where  the  tide  gives  a 
brackish  taste  to  their  waters.  It  is  mostly  a  fish-eater,  haunting 
those  portions  of  the  rivers  where  its  prey  most  abounds,  and  catching 
them  by  diving  under  a  passing  shoal,  snapping  up  one  or  two  victims 
as  it  passes  through  them,  tossing  them  in  the  air  for  the  purpose  of 
ejecting  the  water  which  has  necessarily  filled  its  mouth,  catching  them 
adroitly  as  they  fall,  and  then  swallowing  them. 

The  eggs  of  the  Alligator  are  small  and  numerous.  The  parent 
deposits  them  in  the  sand  of  the  river-side,  scratching  a  hole  with  her 
paws  and  placing  the  eggs  in  a  regular  layer  therein.    She  then  scrapes 

42 


40t 


THE  SCALY  LIZARD. 


some  sand,  drv  leaves,  grass,  and  mud  over  them,  smooths  it,  and 
deposits  a  second  layer  upon  them.  TJiese  eggs  are  then  covered  in  a 
<imihir  manner,  and  another  layer  deposited,  until  the  mother-reptile 
has  laid  from  fifty  to  sixty  eggs.  Although  they  are  hatched  by  the 
heat  of  the  sun  and  the  decaying  vegetable  matter,  the  mother  does 
not  desert  her  young,  but  leads  them  to  the  water,  and  takes  care  of 
them  until  tlieir  limbs  are  sufficiently  strong  and  their  scales  sufficiently 
fiiin  to  permit  them  to  roam  the  waters  without  assistance. 

During  the  winter  months  the  Alligator  buries  itself  in  the  mud, 
but  a  very  little  warmth  is  sufficient  to  make  it  quit  its  retreat  and 

come  into  the  open  air 
again.  While  lively, 
especially  at  night,  it  is 
a  most  noisy  animal, 
bellowing  in  so  loud  a 
tone  and  in  so  singular 
a  cadence  that  even  the 
^^  nightly  concert  of  jag- 
uars and  monkeys  is 
hardly  heard  when  the 
Alligators  are  roaring. 
It  sometimes  attains 
to  a  great  size,  and  is 
then  formidable  to  man.  Mr.  Waterton  mentions  a  case  where  one 
of  those  creatures  was  seen  to  rush  out  of  the  water,  seize  a  man,  and 
carry  him  away  in  spite  of  his  cries  and  struggles.  The  beast  plunged 
into  the  river  with  his  prey,  and  neither  Alligator  nor  man  was  after- 
ward seen. 

The  true  Lizards  have  four  limbs,  generally  visible,  but  in  a  few  in- 
.'^tanccs  hidden  under  the  skin.  Their  body  is  long  and  rounded,  and 
tlie  tail  is  tapering  and  mostly  covered  with  scales  set  in  regular  circles 
or  "  whorls." 

England  possesses  at  least  two  examples  of  the  true  Lizards,  one  of 
which,  the  8caly  Lizard,  is  very  common.  This  pretty  little  reptile 
h  extremely  plentiful  upon  heaths,  banks,  and  commons,  where  it  may 
be  seen  darting  about  in  its  own  quick,  lively  manner,  flitting  among 
the  grnss-stall<s  with  a  series  of  sharp,  twisting  springs,  snapping  up  the 
unsuspecting  flies  as  they  rest  on  the  grass-blades,  and  ever  and  anon 
slipping  under  shelter  of  a  gorse-bush  or  heather-tuft,  only  to  emerge 
in  another  moment,  brisk  and  lively  as  ever. 

This  is  one  of  the  reptiles  that  produce  living  young,  the  eggs  being 
hatched  just  before  the  young  Lizards  are  born.  With  reptiles  the 
general  plan  is  to  place  the  eggs  in  some  spot  where  they  are  ex- 
po.<ed  to  the  heat  of  the  sunbeams,  but  this  Lizard,  together  with  the 


The  Alligator  [AUiyator  Mississipensis). 


THE  SAND   LIZARD. 


495 


viper,  is  in  the  habit  of  lying  on  a  sunny  bank  before  her  young  ones 
are  born,  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  sufficient  heat  to  hatch 
the  eggs.  This  process  is  aided  by  the  thinness  of  the  membrane  cov- 
ering the  eggs. 

Until  comparatively  recent  years  the  Sand  Lizard  was  confounded 
with  the  scaly  lizard,  which  has  just  been  described. 

Though  quick  and  lively  in  its  movements,  it  is  not  so  dashingly 
a -tive  as  the  scaly  lizard,  having  a  touch  of  deliberation   as  it  runs 


Lizards.  y 

from  one  spot  to  another,  while  the  scaly  lizard  almost  seems  to  be  acted 
upon  by  hidden  springs. 

Unlike  the  scaly  lizard,  this  species  lays  its  eggs  in  a  convenient 
spot,  and  then  leaves  them  to  be  hatched  by  the  warm  sunbeams. 
Sandy  banks  with  a  southern  aspect  are  the  favored  resorts  of  this  rep- 
tile, which  scoops  out  certain  shallow  pits  in  the  sand,  deix)sits  her  ^%^?^^ 
covers  them  up,  and  then  leaves  them  to  their  fate.  Mr.  Bell,  who  has 
paid  great  attention  to  this  subject,  has  remarked  that  the  eggs  are  prolv 
ably  laid  for  a  considerable  period  before  the  young  are  hatched  from 
them. 

A  second  tribe  of  Lizards  now  comes  before  our  notice.     These  are 


49<>  THE  GEISSOSAURI  AND  THE  BLINDWOKM. 

the  Geissosauri,  a  title  derived  from  two  Greek  words,  the  former 
signitying  "  the  eaves  of  a  house,"  aud  the  latter  "a  lizard."  As  in 
this  tribe  there  are  many  families  and  more  than  eighty  genera,  it  will 
be  impossible  to  give  more  than  a  very  slight  account  of  these  reptiles,  or 
even  to  mention  more  than  a  small  number  selected  as  types  of  the  large 
or  small  groups  which  they  represent. 

The  large  and  important  family  of  the  Skinks  contains  between 
forty  and  fifty  genera^  nearly  each  of  which  possesses  one  or  more 
species  concerning  which  there  is  something  -svorthy  of  notice. 

This  family  finds  a  familiar  representative  in  the  common  Blindworm, 
ur  Snoww'ORM,  of  England,  which,  from  its  snake-like  form  and  extreme 

fnigility,  might 
well  deserve  the 
title  of  the  Eng- 
lish Glass  Snake. 
In  this  reptile 
there   is    no    ex- 

_^      _^ ^^  _^^^^  ternal    trace    of 

"^/T^      ""^MBM^^^^^t  ..^J^^^KHHi^^"^^  _-  limbs,    the    body 

^  being  uniiormly 
smooth  as  that 
of  a  serpent, 
and  even  more 
so  than  in  some 
of  the  snakes, 
rp,„   X,  ,  .  .      .,   .  where   the    pres- 

•^    '^     ^  ence  of  the  hmd- 

er  pair  of  limbs  is  indicated  by  a  couple  of  little  hook-like  appendages. 
Under  the  skin,  however,  the  traces  of  limbs  may  be  discovered,  but  the 
bones  of  the  shoulders,  the  breast,  and  the  pelvis  are  very  small  and 
quite  rudimentary. 

This  elegant  little  reptile  is  very  common  throughout  England,  and 
IS  spread  over  the  greater  part  of  Europe  and  portions  of  Asia,  not, 
however,  being  found  in  the  extreme  North  of  Europe.  In  this  coun- 
try it  IS  plentiful  along  hedge-rows,  heaths,  forest-lands,  and  similar  sit- 
uations, where  it  can  find  immediate  shelter  from  its  few  enemies  and 
l)e  abundantly  supplied  with  food.  It  may  often  be  seen  crawling  leis- 
urely over  a  beaten  footpath,  and  I  have  once  captured  it  while  cross- 
ing a  wide  turnpike-road  near  Oxford. 

Why  the  name  of  the  Blindworm  should  have  been  given  to  this 
creature  I  cannot  even  conjecture,  for  it  has  a  pair  of  conspicuous 
though  not  very  large  eyes,  which  shine  as  brightlv  as  those  of  any 
animal,  and  are  capable  of  good  service.  Indeed,  all  animals  which 
prey  upon  insects  and  similar  moving  things  must  of  necessity  possess 


THE  BLINDWORM.  497 

well-developed  eyes,  unless  they  are  gifted  with  the  means  of  attracting 
their  prey  within  reach,  as  is  the  case  with  some  well-known  fishes,  or 
chase  it  by  the  senses  of  hearing  and  touch,  as  is  done  by  the  mole. 
Moreover,  the  chief  food  of  the  Blindworm  consists  of  slugs,  which 
glide  so  noiselessly  that  the  creature  needs  the  use  of  its  eyes  to  detect 
the  soft  mollusc  as  it  slides  over  the  ground  on  its  slimy  course.  Speed 
is  not  needful  for  such  a  chase,  and  the  Blindworm  accordingly  is  slow 
and  deliberate  in  all  its  movements,  except  when  very  young,  when  it 
twists  and  wriggles  about  in  a  singular  fashion  as  often  as  it  is  touched. 

The  great  fragility  of  the  Blindworm  is  well  known.  By  a  rather 
curious  structure  of  the  muscles  and  bones  of  the  spine,  the  reptile  is 
able  to  stiffen  itself  to  such  a  degree  that  on  a  slight  pressure  or  trifling 
blow,  or  even  by  the  voluntary  contraction  of  the  body,  the  tail  is  snap- 
ped away  from  the  body,  and,  on  account  of  its  proportionate  length, 
looks  just  as  if  the  creature  had  been  broken  in  half.  The  object  of 
this  curious  property  seems  to  be  to  ensure  the  safety  of  the  animal. 
The  severed  tail  retains,  or  rather  acquires,  an  extraordinary  amount 
of  irritability,  and  for  several  minutes  after  its  amputation  leaps  and 
twists  about  with  such  violence  that  the,  attention  of  the  foe  is  drawn  to 
its  singular  vagaries,  and  the  Blindworm  itself  creeps  quietly  away  to 
some  place  of  shelter. 

When  the  tail  of  the  Blindworm  is  thus  snapped  off,  the  scales  of  tha 
body  project  all  round  the  fractured  portion,  forming  a  kind  of  hollow 
into  which  the  broken  end  of  the  tail  can  be  slipped. 

According  to  popular  notions,  the  Blindworm  is  a  terribly  poisonous 
creature,  and  by  many  persons  is  thought  to  be  even  more  venomous 
than  the  viper,  whereas  it  is  perfectly  harmless,  having  neither  the 
will  nor  the  ability  to  bite,  its  temper  being  as  quiet  as  its  movements, 
and  its  teeth  as  innocuous  aa  its  jaws  are  weak.  I  fancy  that  the  origin 
of  this  opinion  may  be  found  in  the  habit  of  constantly  thrusting  out 
its  broad,  black,  flat  tongue  with  its  slightly  forked  tip ;  for  the  pop- 
ular mind  considers  the  tongue  to  be  the  sting,  imagining  it  to  be  both 
the  source  of  the  venom  and  the  weapon  by  which  it  is  injected  into  the 
body,  and  so  logically  classes  all  creatures  with  forked  tongues  under 
the  common  denomination  of  poisonous  animals. 

It  is  said  that  this  reptile  will  bite  when  handled,  but  that  its  minute 
teeth  and  feeble  jaws  can  make  no  impression  upon  the  skin,  and  also 
that  when  it  has  thus  fastened  on  the  hand  of  its  captor  it  will  not  re- 
lease its  hold  unless  its  jaws  be  forced  open.  For  my  own  part — and  I 
have  liandled  very  many  of  these  reptiles — I  never  knew  them  attempt 
to  bite,  or  even  to  assume  a  threatening  attitude.  They  will  suddenly 
curl  themselves  up  tightly  and  snap  off  their  tails,  but  to  use  their  jaws 
in  self-defence  is  an  idea  that  seldom  appears  to  occur  to  them. 

In  its  wild  state  the  Blindworm  feeds  mostly  on  s'ugs,  but  will  also 
4 -J  *  2  a 


49S  THE  COMMON  OR  RINGED  GECKO. 

eat  worms  ami  various  insects.  Some  persons  assert  that  it  devours 
mice  and  reptiles ;  but  that  it  should  do  so  is  a  physical  impossibility, 
owing  to  the  very  small  dimensions  of  the  mouth  and  the  structure  of 
the  jaw,  the  bones  of  which  are  firmly  knitted  together,  and  cannot  be 
separated  while  the  prey  is  being  swallowed,  as  is  the  case  with  the 
snakes. 

In  captivity  it  seems  to  reject  almost  any  food  except  slugs,  but 
these  molluscs  it  will  eat  quite  freely. 

The  Blindworm  generally  retires  to  its  winter-quarters  tow^ard  the 
end  of  August,  or  even  sooner  should  the  weather  be  chilly.  The 
localities  which  it  chooses  for  this  purpose  are  generally  dry  and 
warm  spots,  where  the  dried  leaves  and  dead  twigs  of  decayed  branches 
have  congregated  into  heaps,  so  as  to  afford  it  a  safe  refuge.  Sometimes 
it  bores  its  way  into  masses  of  rotten  wood,  and  on  heathery  soils,  where 
the  ground  slopes  considerably,  it  selects  a  spot  where  it  will  be  well 
sheltered  from  the  winter's  rains  and  snows,  and  burrows  deeply  into 
the  dry  loose  soil. 

Like  the  snakes,  the  Blindworm  casts  its  skin  at  regular  intervals, 
seeming  to  effect  its  object  in  various  modes,  sometimes  pulling  it  off  in 
pieces,  but  usually  stripping  it  away,  like  the  snakes,  by  turning  it  in- 
side out,  just  as  an  eel  is  skinned. 

A  new  group  now  comes  before  our  notice,  the  members  of  which  are 
distinguished  by  the  formation  of  their  tongues,  which,  instead  of  being 
flat  and  comparatively  slender,  as  in  the  preceding  Lizards,  are  thick, 
convex,  and  have  a  slight  nick  at  the  end.  On  account  of  this  structure 
the  species  of  this  sub-order  are  termed  Pachygloss^,  or  <Hhick- 
tongued  lizards." 

These  reptiles  are  divided  into  sundry  groups,  the  first  of  which  is 
termed  the  Nyctisaura,  or  Nocturnal  Lizards.  These  creatures  have 
eyes  formed  for  seeing  in  the  dusk — circular  eyelids,  which,  however, 
cannot  meet  over  the  eyeball,  and  in  almost  every  case  the  pupil  is  a 
long  narrow  slit  like  that  of  the  cat.  The  body  is  always  flattened. 
The  limbs  are  four  in  number,  tolerably  powerful,  and  are  used  in 
progression. 

Of  these  Lizards,  the  first  family  is  the  Geckotid^,  or  Geckos,  a 
very  curious  group  of  reptiles,  common  in  many  hot  countries,  and 
looked  upon  with  dread  or  adoration  by  the  natives— sometimes  with 
both  where  the  genius  of  the  nation  leads  them  to  reverence  the  object 
of  their  fears,  and  to  form  no  other  conception  of  supreme  power  than 
the  capability  of  doing  harm. 

The  Common  Gecko,  or  Ringed  Gecko,  is  an  Asiatic  species,  being 
as  common  m  India  as  the  preceding  species  in  North  Africa.  It  mav 
be  easily  known  from  allied  fan-foot  by  the  large  tubercles  upon  the 


THE  STROBILOSAUEA. 


499 


This  reptile  has  much  the  same  habits  as  the  fan-foot,  and  possesses 
equally  the  ability  to  run  over  a  perpendicular  wall.  During  the  day- 
time it  conceals  itself  in  some  chink  or  dark  crevice,  but  in  the  even- 
ing it  leaves  its  retreat,  moving  rapidly  and  with  such  perfectly  silent 
tread  that  the  ignorant  natives  may  well  be  excused  for  classing  it 
among  supernatural  beings.  The  Gecko  occasionally  utters  a  curious 
cry,  which  has  been  compared  to  that  peculiar  clucking  sound  employ- 
ed by  riders  to  stimulate  their  horses,  and  in  some  species  the  cry  is 
very  distinct  and  said  to  resemble  the  word  "  Geck-o,"  the  last  syllable 


The  Gecko  {Gecko  v&v^). 

being  given  smartly  and  sharply.  On  account  of  this  cry  the  Geckos 
are  variously  called  Spitters,  Postilions,  and  Claquers. 

During  the  cold  mouths  of  the  year  the  Geckos  retire  to  winter-quar- 
ters, and  are  thought  to  retain  their  condition  during  this  foodless  sea- 
son by  means  of  two  fatty  masses  at  the  base  of  the  abdomen,  which  are 
supposed  to  nourish  them  as  the  camel  is  nourished  by  the  hump.  The 
male  is  smaller  than  the  female,  and  the  eggs  are  very  spherical,  and 
covered  with  a  brittle  chalky  shell.  The  color  of  the  Gecko  is  reddish 
gray  with  white  spots.  The  scales  of  the  back  are  flat  and  smooth,  and 
there  is  also  a  series  of  rather  large  tubercular  projections  arranged  in 
twelve  distinct  rows. 

We  now  arrive  at  an  important  tribe  of  Lizards,  called  by  the  name 
of  Strobilosaura,  a  title  derived  from  two  Greek  words,  one  signify- 
ing a  "  fir-cone  "  and  the  other  "  a  lizard,"  and  given  to  these  creatures 
because  the  scales  that  cover  their  tails  are  set  in  regular  whorls  and 
bear  some  resemblance  to  the  projecting  scales  of  the  fir-cone.  In 
all  these  reptiles  the  tongue  is  thick,  short,  and  very  slightly  nicked 
at  the  tip.  The  eyes  have  circular  pupils,  and  are  formed  for  day 
use. 


500 


THE  COMMON  IGUANA. 


The  first  family  of  these  Lizards  consists  of  those  creatures  which 
are  grouped  together  under  the  general  title  of  Iguana.  Our  illustra- 
tion depicts  the  Common  Iguana. 

This  conspicuous — and,  in  spite  of  its  rather  repulsive  shape,  really 
handsome — Lizard  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  Cayenne,  the  Bahamas,  and 
ULUghboring  localities,  and  was  at  one  time  very  common  in  Jamaica, 
from  which,  however,  it  seems  to  be  in  process  of  gradual  extirpation. 

In  common  with  those  members  of  the  family  which  have  their  body 
rather  compressed  and  covered  with  squared  scales,  the  Iguana  is  a 
percher  on  trees,  living  almost  wholly  among  the  branches,  to  which 
it  clings  with  its  powerful  feet,  and  on  which  it  finds  the  greater  part 
of  its  food.     It  is  almost  always  to  be  found  on  the  trees  that  are  in 


=^vc\y*^->      ^.^-«. 


'^  ■>\(yl '"'(>^*  ,~>\\" 


The  Iglana  {Iguana  tuhei culala) . 


^^^^c. 


the  vicinity  of  water,  and  especially  favors  those  that  grow  upon  the 
l>aiiks  of  a  river  where  the  branches  overhang  the  stream. 

Though  not  one  of  the  aquatic  Lizards,  the  Iguana  is  quite  at  home 
ni  the  water,  and  if  alarmed  will  often  plunge  into  the  stream  and 
Hther  dive  or  swim  rapidly  away.  While  swimming  it  lays  its  fore 
Icgsagamst  the  sides,  so  as  to  aiford  the  smallest  possible' resistance 
to  the  water,  stretches  out  the  hinder  legs,  and  by  a  rapid  serpentine 
movement  of  its  long  and  flexible  tail,  passes  swiftly  through  the 
waves.  It  has  considerable  power  of  enduring  immersion,  as  indeed 
IS  the  c^ise  with  nearly  all  reptiles,  and  has  been  known  to  remain  under 
water  for  an  entire  hour,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  to  emerge  in 
pertect  vigor.  * 


THE  FLYING  DEAGON.  501 

From  the  aspect  of  this  long-tailed,  dewlapped,  scaly,  spiny  Lizard 
most  persons  would  rather  recoil  than  feel  attracted,  and  the  idea  of 
eating  the  flesh  of  so  repulsive  a  creature  would  not  be  likely  to  occur 
to  them.  Yet,  in  truth,  the  flesh  of  the  Iguana  is  justly  reckoned 
among  one  of  the  delicacies  of  the  country  where  it  resides,  being 
tender  and  of  a  peculiarly  delicate  flavor,  not  unlike  the  breast  of  a 
spring  chicken.  There  are  various  modes  of  cooking  the  Iguana, 
roasting  and  boiling  being  the  most  common.  Making  it  into  a  fric- 
assee, however,  is  the  mode  which  has  met  with  the  largest  general 
approval,  and  a  dish  of  Iguana  cutlets,  when  properly  dressed,  takes  a 
very  high  place  among  the  delicacies  of  a  well-spread  table. 

The  eggs,  too,  of  which  the  female  Iguana  lays  from  four  to  six  dozen, 
are  very  well  flavored  and  in  high  repute.  It  is  rather  curious  that 
they  contain  very  little  albumen,  the  yellow  filling  almost  the  entire 
shell.  As  is  the  case  with  the  eggs  of  the  turtle,  they  never  harden 
by  boiling,  and  only  assume  a  little  thicker  consistence.  Some  persons 
of  peculiar  constitutions  cannot  eat  either  the  flesh  or  the  eggs  of  the 
Iguana,  and  it  is  said  that  this  diet  is  very  injurious  in  some  diseases. 
The  eggs  are  hid  by  the  female  Iguana  in  sandy  soil,  near  rivers,  lakes, 
or  the  seacoast,  and  after  covering  them  with  sand  she  leaves  them  to 
be  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

The  family  which  comes  next  in  order  is  that  in  which  are  included 
the  Agamas,  a  group  of  Lizards  which  have  been  appropriately  termed 
the  Iguanas  of  the  Old  World.  In  the  members  of  this  family  the 
teeth  are  set  upon  the  edge  of  the  jaws,  and  not  upon  their  inner  side, 
as  in  the  true  Iguanas  of  the  New  AVorld.  Between  thirty  and  forty 
genera  are  contained  in  this  family,  and  some  of  the  species  are  interest- 
ing as  well  as  peculiar  beings. 

Perhaps  the  most  curious  of  all  this  family,  if  not,  indeed,  the  most 
curious  of  all  the  reptiles,  is  the  little  Lizard  which  is  well  known  under 
the  title  of  the  Flying  Dragon. 

This  singular  reptile  is  a  native  of  Java,  Borneo,  the  Philippines,  and 
neighboring  islands,  and  is  tolerably  common.  Its  most  conspicuous 
characteristic  is  the  singularly-developed  membranous  lobes  on  either 
side,  which  are  strengthened  by  certain  slender  processes  from  the  first  six 
false  ribs,  and  serve  to  support  the  animal  during  its  bold  leaps  from 
branch  to  branch.  Many  of  the  previously-mentioned  Lizards  are  admi- 
rable leapers,  but  they  are  all  outdone  by  the  Dragon,  whi^h  is  able,  by 
means  of  the^  membranous  parachute  with  which  it  is  furnished,  to 
sweep  through  distances  of  thirty  paces,  the  so-called  flight  being  al- 
most identical  with  that  of  the  flying  squirrels  and  flying  fish. 

When  the  Dragon  is  at  rest,  or  even  when  it  is  traversing  the  branches 
of  trees,  the  parachute  lies  in  folds  along  the  sides,  but  when  it  prepares 
to  leap  from  one  bough  to  another  it  spreads  its  winged  sides,  launches 


502 


THE  TREE  LIZARDS. 


boldly  into  the  air,  and  sails  easily,  with  a  slight  fluttering  of  the 
wings,  toward  the  point  on  which  it  had  fixed,  looking  almost  like  a 
stray  leaf  blown  by  the  breeze.  As  if  in  order  to  make  itself  still 
more  buoyant,  it  inflates  the  three  membranous  sacs  that  depend  from 


The  Flying  Dragon  {Draco  volans). 

its  throat,  suffering  them  to  collapse  again  when  it  has  settled  upon  the 
branch.  It  is  a  perfectly  harmless  creature,  and  can  be  handled  with 
iiiij)uuity.     The  food  of  the  Flying  Dragon  consists  of  insects. 

The  last  tribe  of  the  Lizards  contains  but  one  genus  and  very  few 
species.  From  their  habit  of  constantly  living  on  trees  these  creatures 
are  called  Dendrosaura,  or  Tree  Lizards.  In  these  the  scales  of 
the  whole  body  are  small  and  granular,  and  arranged  in  circular  bands. 
The  tongue  is  very  curious,  being  cylindrical  and  greatly  extensile,  re- 
minding the  observer  of  a  common  earthworm,  and  swollen  at  the  tip. 
The  eyes  are  as  peculiar  as  the  tongue,  being  very  large,  globular,  and 
projecting,  and  the  ball  is  closely  covered  with  a  circular  lid,  through 
wiiich  a  little  round  hole  is  pierced,  much  like  the  wooden  snow-specta- 
cles of  the  Esquimaux.  The  body  is  rather  compressed,  the  ears  are 
concealed  under  the  skin,  and  the  toes  are  separated  into  tw^o  opposa- 
ble groups,  so  that  the  creature  can  hold  very  firmly  upon  the  boughs. 
The  tail  is  very  long  and  prehensile,  and  is  almost  invariably  seen  coiled 
round  the  bough  on  which  the  reptile  is  standing. 

The  most  fiimiliar  example  of  the  Dendrosaura  is  the  common  Cha- 
MKLEON,  a  reptile  which  is  found  in  both  Africa  and  Asia. 

This  singular  reptile  has  long  been  famous  for  its  power  of  changing 
color— a  property,  however,  which  has  been  greatly  exaggerated,  as 
will  be  presently  seen.     Nearly  all  the  Lizards  are  constitutionally 


THE  CHAMELEON. 


503 


forpid,  though  some  of  them  are  gifted  with  great  rapidity  of  move- 
ment during  certain  seasons  of  the  year.  The  Chameleon,  however, 
carries  this  sbjggishness  to  an  extreme,  its  only  change  being  from  total 
immobility  to  the  slightest  imaginable  degree  of  activity. 

When  it  moves  along  the  branch  upon  which  it  is  clinging,  the  rep- 
tile first  raises  one  foot  very  slowly  indeed,  and  will  sometimes  remain 
foot  in  air  for  a  considerable  time,  as  if  it  had  gone  to  sleep  in  the  in- 
terim. It  then  puts  the  foot  as  slowly  forward,  and  takes  a  good  grasp 
of  the  branch.  Having  satisfied  itself  that  it  is  firmly  secured,  it  leis- 
urely unwinds  its  tail,  which  has  been  tightly  twisted  round  the  branch, 
shifts  it  a  little  forward,  coils  it  round  agam,  and  then  rests  for  a  while. 


The  Chameleon  (Chameleo  vulgaris). 

With  the  same  elaborate  precaution  each  foot  is  successively  lifted  and 
advanced,  so  that  the  forward  movements  seem  but  little  faster  than 
the  hour-hand  of  a  watch. 

If  placed  on  level  ground,  it  is  perforce  obliged  to  walk,  but  it  does 
so  very  awkwardly,  though  it  gets  over  the  ground  faster  than  would 
be  imagined  from  its  movements  on  a  tree. 

The  food  of  the  Chameleon  consists  of  insects,  mostly  flies,  but,  like 
many  other  reptiles,  it  is  able  to  live  for  some  months*  without  taking 
food  at  all.  This  capacity  for  fasting,  together  with  the  singular  man- 
ner in  which  the  reptile  takes  its  prey,  gave  rise  to  the  absurd  fable 
that  it  lived  only  upon  air.  To  judge  by  external  appearance,  there 
never  was  an  animal  less  fitted  than  the  Chameleon  for  capturing  the 
winged  and  active  flies ;  but  when  we  come  to  examine  its  structure, 
we  find  that  it  is  even  better  fitted  for  this  purpose  than  many  of  the 
more  active  insect-eating  Lizards. 


504  THE  SERPENT  TRIBE. 

The  tougue  is  the  instrument  by  which  the  fly  is  captured,  being  first 
deliberately  aimed,  like  a  billiard-player  aiming  a  stroke  with  his  cue, 
and  then  darted  out  with  singular  velocity.  This  member  is  very  mus- 
cular, and  is  furnished  at  the  tip  with  a  kind  of  viscid  secretion  which 
causes  the  fly  to  adhere  to  it.  Its  mouth  is  well  furnished  with  teeth, 
which  are  set  firmly  into  its  jaw,  and  enable  it  to  bruise  the  insects 
after  getting  them  into  its  mouth  by  means  of  the  tongue. 

The  eyes  have  a  most  singular  appearance,  and  are  worked  quite  in- 
dependently of  each  other,  one  rolling  backward,  while  the  other  is  di-^ 
reeled  forward  or  upward.  There  is  not  the  least  spark  of  expression 
in  the  eye  of  the  Chameleon,  which  looks  about  as  intellectual  as  a  green 
pea  with  a  dot  of  ink  upon  it. 

A  few  words  on  the  change  of  color  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

I  kept  a  Chameleon  for  a  long  time,  and  carefully  watched  its  changes 
of  color.  Its  primary  hue  was  gray-black,  but  other  colors  were  con- 
stantly passing  over  its  body.  Sometimes  it  would  be  striped  like  a 
zebra  with  light  yellow,  or  covered  with  circular  yellow  spots.  Some- 
times it  was  all  chestnut  and  black  like  a  leopard,  and  sometimes  it  was 
brilliant  green.  Sometimes  it  would  be  gray,  covered  with  black  spots; 
and  once,  when  it  was  sitting  on  a  branch,  it  took  the  hue  of  the  au- 
tumnal leaves  so  exactly  that  it  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from 
them.  A  detailed  account  of  this  specimen  is  given  in  my  Glimpses 
into  Petland. 

The  young  of  the  Chameleon  are  produced  from  eggs,  which  are  very 
spherical,  white  in  color,  and  covered  with  a  chalky  and  very  porous 
shell.  They  are  placed  on  the  ground  under  leaves,  and  there  left  to 
hatch  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  the  warmth  produced  by  the  decom- 
position of  the  leaves.  The  two  sexes  can  be  distinguished  from  each 
other  by  the  shape  of  the  tail,  which  in  the  male  is  thick  and  swollen 
at  the  base. 

The  large  and  important  order  at  which  we  now  arrive  consists  of 
reptiles  which  are  popularly  known  as  Snakes,  or  more  scientifically 
as  Ophidia,  and  to  which  all  the  true  Serpents  are  to  be  referred. 

The  movements  of  the  Serpent  tribe  are  performed  without  the  aid 
of  lini])s,  and  are,  as  a  general  rule,  achieved  by  means  of  the  ribs  and 
the  large  curved  scales  that  cover  the  lower  surface.  Each  of  these 
scales  overlaps  its  successor,  leaving  a  bold  horny  ridge  whenever  it  is 
partially  erected  by  the  action  of  the  muscles.  The  reader  will  easily 
see  that  a  reptile  so  constructed  can  move  with  some  rapidity  by  suc- 
cessively thrusting  each  scale  a  little  forward,  hitching  the  projecting 
edge  on  any  rough  substance,  and  drawing  itself  forward  until  it  can 
repeat  the  process  with  the  next  scale.  The  movements  are  consequent- 
ly very  quiet  and  gliding,  and  the  creature  is  able  to  pursue  its  way 
under  circumstances  of  considerable  difficulty. 


THE  SNAKES.  505 

The  tongue  of  the  Snake  is  long,  black,  and  deeply  forked  at  its  ex- 
tremity, and  when  at  rest  is  drawn  into  a  sheath  in  the  lower  jaw.  In 
these  days  it  is  perhaps  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  the  tongue  is  per- 
fectly harmless,  even  in  a  poisonous  serpent,  and  that  the  popular  idea 
of  the  "  sting  "  is  entirely  erroneous.  The  snakes  all  seem  to  employ 
the  tongue  largely  as  a  feeler,  and  may  be  seen  to  touch  gently  with 
the  forked  extremities  the  objects  over  which  they  are  about  to  crawl 
or  which  they  desire  to  examine.  The  external  organs  of  hearing  are 
absent. 

The  vertebral  column  is  most  wonderfully  formed,  and  is  constructed 
with  a  special  view  to  the  peculiar  movements  of  the  Serpent  tribe. 
Each  vertebra  is  rather  elongated,  and  is  furnished  at  one  end  with  a 
ball  and  at  the  other  with  a  corresponding  socket,  into  which  the  ball  of 
the  succeeding  vertebra  exactly  fits,  thus  enabling  the  creature  to  writhe 
and  twine  in  all  directions  without  danger  of  dislocating  its  spine. 

This  ball-and-socket  principle  extends  even  to  the  ribs,  which  are 
jointed  to  certain  rounded  projections  of  the  vertebrse  in  a  manner  al- 
most identical  with  the  articulation  of  the  vertebrae  upon  each  other, 
and,  as  they  are  moved  by  very  powerful  muscles,  perform  most  im- 
portant functions  in  the  economy  of  the  creature  to  which  they  be- 
long. 

The  bones  of  the  jaws  are  very  loosely  constructed,  their  different 
portions  being  separable,  and  giving  way  while  the  creature  exerts  its 
wonderful  powers  of  swallowing.  The  great  python  Snakes  are  well 
known  to  swallow  animals  of  great  proportionate  size,  and  any  one 
may  witness  the  singular  process  by  taking  a  common  field  Snake, 
keeping  it  without  food  for  a  month  or  so,  and  then  giving  it  a  large 
frog.  As  it  seizes  its  prey,  the  idea  of  getting  so  stout  an  animal  down 
that  slender  neck  and  through  those  little  jaws  appears  too  absurd  to  be 
entertained  for  a  moment,  and  even  the  leg  which  it  has  grasped  appears 
to  be  several  times  too  large  to  pass  through  the  throat.  But  by  slow 
degrees  the  frog  disappears,  the  mouth  of  the  Snake  gradually  widening 
until  the  bones  separate  from  each  other  to  some  distance  and  are  held 
only  by  the  ligaments,  and  the  whole  jaw  becoming  dislocated,  until  the 
head  and  neck  of  the  Snake  look  as  if  the  skin  had  been  stripped  from 
the  reptile,  spread  thin  and  flat,  and  drawn  like  a  glove  over  the  frog. 

The  Serpents,  in  common  with  other  reptiles,  have  their  bodies  cov- 
ered by  a  delicate  epidermis,  popularly  called  the  skin,  which  lies  over 
the  scales  and  is  renewed  at  tolerably  regular  intervals.  Toward  the 
time  of  changing  its  skin  the  Snake  becomes  dull  and  sluggish,  the  eyes 
look  white  and  blind,  owing  to  the  thickening  of  the  epidermis  that 
covers  them,  and  the  bright  colors  become  dim  and  ill-defined.  Pres- 
ently, however,  the  skin  splits  upon  the  back,  mostly  near  the  head,  and 
the  Snake  contrives  to  wriggle  itself  out  of  the  whole  integument,  usual- 
43 


506  THE  KATTLESNAKE. 

Iv  turuing  it  inside  out  in  the  process.  This  shed  skin  is  transparent, 
having  the  shape  of  each  scale  impressed  upon  it,  being  fine  and  delicate 
a.s  goldbeater's  skin,  and  being  applicable  to  many  of  the  same  uses, 
such  as  shielding  a  small  wound  from  the  external  air. 

The  first  sub-order  of  Snakes  consists  of  those  serpents  which  are 
cla-ssed  under  the  name  of  Viperina. 

All  these  reptiles  are  devoid  of  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  except  two 
Jong  poison-bearing  fangs,  set  one  at  each  side  and  near  the  muzzle. 
The  lower  jaw  is  well  furnished  with  teeth,  and  both  jaws  are  feeble. 
The  scales  of  the  abdomen  are  bold,  broad,  and  arranged  like  overlap- 
ping bands.  The  head  is  large  fti  proportion  to  the  neck,  and  very 
wide  behind,  so  that  the  head  of  these  Snakes  has  been  well  compared 
to  an  ace  of  spades.     The  hinder  limbs  are  not  seen. 

In  the  first  family  of  the  Viperine  Snakes,  called  the  CROTALiDiE, 
the  face  is  marked  with  a  large  pit  or  depression  on  each  side,  be- 
tween the  eye  and  the  nostril.  The  celebrated  and  dreaded  Rattle- 
snake belongs  to  this  family. 

This  reptile  is  a  native  of  North  America,  and  is  remarkable  for 
the  singular  termination  to  the  tail  from  which  it  derives  its  popular 
name. 

At  the  extremity  of  the  tail  are  a  number  of  curious  loose  horny  struc- 
tures, formed  of  the  same  substance  as  the  scales,  and  varying  greatly 
in  number  according  to  the  size  of  the  individual.  It  is  now  generally 
considered  that  the  number  of  joints  on  the  "  rattle  "  is  an  indication 
of  the  reptile's  age,  a  fresh  joint  being  gained  each  year  immediately 
after  it  changes  its  skin  and  before  it  goes  into  winter-quarters. 

The  joints  of  this  remarkable  apparatus  are  arranged  in  a  very 
curious  manner,  each  being  of  a  somewhat  pyramidal  shape,  but 
rounded  at  the  edges,  and  being  slipped  withi'n  its  predecessor  as 
far  as  a  protuberant  ring  which  runs  round  the  edge.  In  fact,  a 
very  good  idea  of  the  structure  of  the  rattle  may  be  formed  by  slip- 
l)ing  a  number  of  thimbles  loosely  into  each  other.  The  last  joint  is 
smaller  than  the  rest,  and  rounded.  As  was  lately  mentioned,  the 
number  of  these  joints  is  variable,  but  the  average  number  is  from  five 
or  six  to  fourteen  or  fifteen.  There  are  occasional  specimens  found  that 
possess  more  than  twenty  joints  in  the  rattle,  but  such  examples  are  very 
rare. 

When  in  repose  the  Rattlesnake  usually  lies  coiled  in  some  suitable 
spot,  with  its  head  lying  flat,  and  the  tip  of  its  tail  elevated  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  coil.  Should  it  be  irritated  by  a  passenger,  or  feel  annoyed 
or  alarmed,  it  instantly  communicates  a  quivering  movement  to  the  tail, 
which  causes  the  joints  of  the  rattle  to  shake  against  each  other  with  a 
peculiar  skirring  rufile  very  much  like  the  sound  of  the  escaping  steam 
ot  a  railway  engine. 


THE  RATTLESNAKE. 


507 


Fortunately  for  the  human  dwellers  in  the  land  which  it  inhabits,  the 
Uattlesnake  is  slow  and  torpid  in  its  movements,  and  seldom  attempts 
to  bite  unless  it  is  provoked,  even  suffering  itself  to  be  handled  without 
avenging  itself.  Mr.  Waterton  tells  me,  in  connection  with  these  rep- 
tiles, "  I  never  feared  the  bite  of  a  snake,  relying  entirely  on  my  own 
movements.  Tlius,  in  the  presence  of  several  professional  gentlemen, 
I  once  transferred  twenty-seven  Rattlesnakes  from  one  apartment  to 
another  with  my  hand  alone.  They  hissed  and  rattled  when  I  med- 
dled with  them,  but  they  did  not  offer  to  bite  me."  When  about  to 
inflict  the  fatal  blow  the  reptile  seems  to  swell  with  anger,  its  throat 
dilating,  and  its  whole  body  rising  and  sinking  as  if  inflated  by  bellows. 


The  Rattlesnake  {Ura^ 


The  tail  is  agitated  with  increasing  vehemence,  the  rattle  sounds  its 
threatening  war-note  with  sharper  ruffle,  the  head  becomes  flattened  as 
it  is  drawn  back  ready  for  the  stroke,  and  the  whole  creature  seems  a 
very  incarnation  of  deadly  rage.  Yet  even  in  such  moments,  if  the  in- 
truder withdraw,  the  reptile  will  gradually  lay  aside  its  angry  aspect, 
the  coils  settle  down  in  their  place,  the  flashing  eyes  lose  their  lustre, 
the  rattle  become  stationary,  and  the  serjient  sink  back  into  its  previous 
state  of  lethargy. 

The  g!»neral  color  of  the  Rattlesnake  is  pale  brown.  A  dark  streak 
runs  along  the  temples  from  the  back  of  the  eye,  and  expands  at  the 
corner  of  the  mouth  into  a  large  spot.  A  series  of  irregular  dark- 
brown  bauds  are  drawn  across  the  back ;  a  number  of  round  spots  of  the 


508    THE  PUFF  ADDER  AND  THE  HOENED  VIPER. 

eame  hue  are  scattered  along  the  sides  and  upon  the  nape  of  the  neck 
and  back  of  the  head. 

We  now  come  to  the  second  great  fomily  of  poisonous  serpents — 
namely,  the  Vipers,  or  Viperidoe.  All  the  members  of  this  family  may 
be  distinguished  by  the  absence  of  the  pit  between  the  eyes  and  the  nos- 
trils.    There  are  no  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  except  the  two  poison-fangs. 

The  terrible  Puff  Adder  belongs  to  this  family. 

This  reptile  is  a  native  of  Southern  Africa,  and  is  one  of  the  com- 
monest, as  well  as  one  of  the  most  deadly,  of  poisonous  snakes.  It  is 
glow  and  apparently  torpid  in  all  its  movements,  except  when  it  is 
going  to  strike,  and  the  colonists  say  that  is  able  to  leap  backward  so 
as  to  bite  a  person  who  is  standing  by  its  tail. 

There  is  in  nature  no  more  fearful  object  than  a  full-grown  Puff 
Adder.  It  grovels  on  the  sand,  winding  its  body  so  as  to  bury  itself 
almost  wholly  in  the  tawny  soil,  and  just  leaving  its  flat,  cruel-looking 
head  lying  on  the  ground  and  free  from  sand.  The  steady,  malignant, 
stony  glare  of  those  eyes  is  absolutely  freezing  as  the  creature  lies 
motionless,  confident  in  its  deadly  powers,  and  when  roused  by  the 
approach  of  a  passenger  merely  exhibiting  its  annoyance  by  raising 
its  head  an  inch  or  two  and  uttering  a  sharp,  angry  hiss.  Even  hoi^ses 
have  been  bitten  by  this  reptile,  and  died  within  a  few  hours  after  the 
injury  was  inflicted. 

The  Bushmen  are  in  the  habit  of  procuring  from  the  teeth  of  this 
serpent  the  poison  with  which  they  arm  their  tiny  but  most  fearful 
arrows.  In  the  capture  of  the  Puflf  Adder  they  display  very  great 
courage  and  address.  Taking  advantage  of  the  reptile's  sluggish 
habits,  they  plant  their  bare  feet  upon  its  neck  before  it  has  quite 
made  up  its  reptilian  mind  to  action,  and,  holding  it  firmly  down,  cut 
ofl*  its  head  and  extract  the  poison  at  their  leisure.  In  order  to  make 
it  adhesive  to  the  arrow-point,  it  is  mixed  with  the  glutinous  juice  of 
the  amaryllis. 

The  color  of  the  Puff  Adder  is  brown,  chequered  with  dark  brown 
and  white,  and  with  a  reddish  band  between  the  eyes.  The  under  parts 
arc  paler  than  the  upper. 

The  true  Cerastes,  or  Horned  Viper,  is  a  native  of  Northern 
Africa,  and  divides  with  the  cobra  of  the  same  country  the  question- 
able honor  of  being  the  «  worm  of  Nile  "  to  whose  venomous  tooth 
Cleopatra's  death  was  due. 

The  bite  of  this  most  ungainly-looking  serpent  is  extremely  dangerous, 
though  perhaps  not  quite  so  deadly  as  that  of  the  cobra,  and  the  crea- 
Uire  IS  therefore  not  quite  so  much  dreaded  as  might  be  imagined. 
The  Cerastes  has  a  most  curious  appearance,  owing  to  a  rather  large 
horn-hke  scale  which  projects  over  each  eye,  and  which,  according  to 
the  natives,  is  possessed  of  wonderful  virtues. 


THE  COMMON   VIPER  OR  ADDER. 


509 


The  Cerastes  has,  according  to  Bruce,  an  awkward  habit  of  crawl- 
ing until  it  is  alongside  of  the  creature  whom  it  is  about  to  attack, 
and  then  making  a  sidelong  leap  at  its  victim.  He  relates  an  in- 
stance where  he  saw  a  Cerastes  perform  a  feat  which  was  certainly 
curious : 

"  I  saw  one  of 
them  at  Cairo 
crawl  up  the 
side  of  a  box 
in  which  there 
were  many,  and 
there  lie  still,  as 
if  hiding  him- 
self, till  one  of 
the  people  who 
brought  them  to 
us  came  near  him. 
and,  though  in 
a  very  disadvan- 
tageous position, 
sticking,  as  it 
were,  perpendic- 
ularly to  the  side 

of    the    box,    he  The  Cerastes  or  Horned  Viper  (Ceirtstea  Hasselquistii). 
leaped    near  the 

distance  of  three  feet,  and  fastened  between  the  man's  fore  finger  and 
thumb,  so  as  to  bring  the  blood." 

The  Cerastes  usually  lives  in  the  driest  and  hottest  parts  of  Northern 
Africa,  and  lies  half  buried  in  the  sand  until  its  prey  should  come 
within  reach.  Like  many  serpents,  it  can  endure  a  very  prolonged 
frost  without  appearing  to  suffer  any  inconvenience  ;  those  kept  by 
Bruce  lived  for  two  years  in  a  glass  jar  without  partaking  of  food, 
and  seemed  perfectly  brisk  and  lively,  casting  their  skins  as  usual,  and 
not  becoming  torpid  even  during  the  winter. 

The  color  of  the  Cerastes  is  pale  brownish  white,  covered  irregularly 
with  brown  spots.     Its  length  is  about  two  feet. 

The  common  Viper,  or  Adder,  is  very  well  known  in  many  parts 
of  England,  but  in  some  localities  is  very  plentiful,  while  in  others  it 
is  never  seen  from  one  year's  end  to  another. 

Many  persons  mistake  the  common  grass  snake  for  the  Viper,  and 
dread  it  accordingly.  They  may,  however,  always  distinguish  the 
poisonous  reptile  from  the  innocuous  by  the  chain  of  dark  spots  that 
runs  along  the  spine  and  forms  an  unfailing  guide  to  its  identification. 
Fortunately  for  ourselves,  it  is  the  only  poiscmous   reptile   inhabiting 


510 


THE  VIPER 


England,  tlie  variously  colored  specimens  being  nothing  more  than 
varieties  of  the  same  species. 

Like  most  reptiles,  whether  poisonous  or  not,  the  Viper  is  a  very 
timid  creature,  always  preferring  to  glide  away  from  a  foe  rather  than 
to  attack,  and  only  biting  when  driven  to  do  so  under  great  provoca- 
tion. 

The  head  of  the  Viper  affords  a  very  good  example  of  the  venom- 
ous apparatus  of  the  poisonous  serpents,  and  is  well  worthy  of  dissec- 
tion, which  is  better  accomplished  under  water  than  in  air.  The  poison- 
fangs  lie  on  the  sides  of  the  upper  jaw,  folded  back  and  almost  indis- 
tinguishable until  lifted  with  a  needle.  They  are  singularly  fine  and 
delicate,  hardly  larger  than  a  lady's  needle,  and  are  covered  almost  to 
their  tips  with  a  muscular  envelope  through  which  the  points  just  peep. 


The  Viper  or  Adder  {Pdias  Berns). 

The  poison-secreting  glands  and  the  reservoir  in  which  the  venom  is 
stored  are  found  at  the  back  and  sides  of  the  head,  and  give  to  the 
venomous  serpents  that  peculiar  width  of  head  which  is  so  unfailing  a 
diaracteristic.  The  color  of  the  poison  is  a  very  pale  yellow,  and  its 
consistence  is  very  like  that  of  salad  oil,  which,  indeed,  it  much  resem- 
bles, both  in  look  and  in  taste.  There  is  but  little  in  each  individual, 
and  it  is  possible  that  the  superior  power  of  the  large  venomous  snakes 
of  other  lands,  especially  those  under  the  tropics,  may  be  due  as  much 
to  its  quantity  as  to  its  absolute  intensity.  In  a  full-grown  rattlesnake, 
for  example,  there  are  six  or  eight  drops  of  this  poison,  whereas  the 
Viper  has  hardly  a  twentieth  part  of  that  amount. 

On  examining  carefully  the  poison-fangs  of  a  Viper,  the  structure  by 
which  the  venom  is  injected  into  the  wound  will  be  easily  understood. 


THE  BOA  CONSTRICTOR.  511 

Ou  removiug  the  lower  jaw  the  two  fangs  are  seen  in  the  upper  jaw, 
folded  down  in  a  kind  of  groove  between  the  teeth  of  the  palate  and 
the  skin  of  the  head,  so  as  to  allow  any  food  to  slide  over  them  with- 
out being  pierced  by  their  points.  The  end  of  the  teeth  reach  about 
halfway  from  the  nose  to  the  angle  of  the  jaw,  just  behind  the  corner 
of  the  eye. 

Only  the  tips  of  the  fangs  are  seen,  and  they  glisten  bright,  smooth, 
and  translucent,  as  if  they  were  curved  needles  made  from  isinglass, 
and  almost  as  fine  as  a  bee's  sting.  On  raising  them  with  a  needle  or 
the  point  of  the  forceps,  a  large  mass  of  muscular  tissue  comes  into 
view,  enveloping  the  tooth  for  the  greater  part  of  its  length,  and  being, 
in  fact,  the  means  by  which  the  fang  is  elevated  or  depressed.  When 
the  creature  draws  back  its  head  and  opens  its  mouth  to  strike,  the  de- 
pressing muscles  are  relaxed,  the  opposite  series  are  contracted,  and 
the  two  deadly  fangs  spring  up  with  their  points  ready  for  action.  It 
is  needful  to  be  exceedingly  careful  while  dissecting  the  head,  as  the 
fangs  are  so  sharp  that  they  penetrate  the  skin  with  a  very  slight  touch, 
and  their  poisonous  distilment  does  not  lose  its  potency  even  after  the 
lapse  of  time. 

There  are  generally  several  of  the  fangs  in  each  jaw,  lying  one  be- 
low the  other  in  regular  succession.  From  the  specimen  which  has 
just  been  described  I  removed  four  teeth  on  each  side,  varying  in  length 
from  half  to  one-eighth  the  dimensions  of  the  poison-fangs. 

The  ordinary  food  of  the  Viper  is  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  com- 
mon snake,  and  consists  of  mice,  birds,  frogs,  and  similar  creatures.  It 
is,  however,  less  partial  to  frogs  than  is  the  common  snake,  and  seems 
to  prefer  the  smaller  mammalia  to  any  other  prey. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  very  important  family  of  serpents,  including  the 
largest  species  found  in  the  order.  These  snakes  are  known  by  the 
popular  title  of  Boas,  and  scientifically  as  Boidse,  and  are  all  remark- 
able, not  only  for  their  great  size  and  curious  mode  of  taking  their 
prey,  but  for  the  partial  development  of  their  hinder  limbs,  which  are 
externally  visible  as  a  pair  of  horny  spurs,  set  one  on  each  side  of  the 
base  of  the  tail,  and  moderately  well  developed  under  the  skin,  con- 
sisting of  several  bones  jointed  together. 

The  Boa  Constrictor  is  a  native  of  southern  and  tropical  America, 
and  is  one  of  those  serpents  that  were  formerly  held  sacred  and  wor- 
shipped with  divine  honors.  It  attains  a  very  large  size,  often  exceed- 
ing twenty  feet  in  length,  and  being  said  to  reach  thirty  feet  in  some 
cases.  It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  before  swallowing  their  prey  the 
Boas  do  not  cover  it  with  saliva,  as  has  been  asserted.  Indeed,  the 
very  narrow  and  slender  forked  tongue  of  the  serpent  is  about  the 
worst  possible  implement  for  such  a  purpose.  A  very  large  amount 
of  this  substance  is  certainly  secreted  by  the  reptile  while  in  the  act 


512  THE  ANACONDA. 

of  swallowing,  and  is  of  great  use  in  lubricating  the  prey  so  as  to  aid 
it  in  its  passage  down  the  throat  and  into  the  body,  but  it  is  poured 
upon  the  victim  only  during  the  act  of  swallowing,  and  is  not  prepared 
and  applied  beforehand. 

The  dilating  powers  of  the  Boa  are  wonderful.  The  skin  stretches 
to  a  degree  which  seems  absolutely  impossible,  and  a  comparison  be- 
tween the  diameter  of  the  prey  and  that  of  the  mouth  through  which 
it  has  to  pass,  and  the  throat  down  which  it  has  to  glide,  makes  the 
act  of  swallowing  such  prey  appear  almost  ludicrous  in  its  apparent 
impracticability,  and,  if  the  feat  were  not  proved  by  frequent  experi- 
ence, it  would  seem  more  like  the  prelude  to  a  juggler's  trick  than  an 
event  of  every-day  occurrence.  To  such  an  extent  is  the  body  dilata- 
ble that  the  shape  of  the  animal  swallowed  can  often  be  traced  through 
the  skin,  and  the  very  fur  is  visible  through  the  translucent  eyes  as  the 
dead  victim  passes  through  the  jaws  and  down  the  throat. 

An  equally  celebrated  snake,  the  Anaconda,  is  a  native  of  tropical 
America,  where  it  is  known  under  several  names.  La  Culebra  de  Agua, 
or  "  water  serpent,"  and  El  Traga  Venado,  or  '*  deer-swal lower,"  being 
the  most  familiar. 

Sir  R.  Ker  Porter  has  some  curious  remarks  on  the  Anaconda : 
"  This  serpent  is  not  venomous,  nor  known  to  injure  men  (at  least  not 
in  this  part  of  the  New  World) ;  however,  the  natives  stand  in  great 
fear  of  it,  never  bathing  in  waters  where  it  is  known  to  exist.  Its  com- 
mon haunt,  or  rather  domicile,  is  invariably  near  lakes,  sw^^mps,  and 
rivers,  likewise  close  to  wet  ravines  produced  by  inundations  of  the 
periodical  rains;  hence,  from  its  aquatic  habits,  its  first  appellation — 
/.  ^.,  Water  Serpent.  Fish,  and  those  animals  which  repair  there  to 
drink,  are  the  objects  of  its  prey.  The  creature  lurks  watchfully  under 
cover  of  the  water,  and  while  the  unsuspecting  animal  is  drinking  sud- 
denly makes  a  dart  at  the  nose,  and,  with  a  grip  of  its  back-reclining 
double  range  of  teeth,  never  fails  to  secure  the  terrified  beast  beyond 
tho  power  of  escape." 

Compression  is  the  only  method  employed  by  the  Anaconda  for  kill- 
ing its  prey,  and  the  pestilent  breath  which  has  been  attributed  to  this 
reptile  is  wholly  fabulous.  Indeed,  it  is  doubtful  whether  any  snake 
whatever  possesses  a  fetid  breath,  and  Mr.  Waterton,  who  has  handled 
sn:ik«\s  both  poisonous  and  inofl'ensive,  as  much  as  most  living  persons, 
utt.'rly  denies  the  existence  of  any  perceptible  odor  in  the  snake's 
.»rcath.  It  is  very  possible  that  the  pestilent  and  most  horrible  odor 
which  can  be  emitted  by  many  snakes  when  they  are  irritated  may 
have  been  mistaken  for  the  scent  of  the  breath.  This  evil  odor,  how- 
"ver  IS  produced  from  a  substance  secreted  in  the  glands  near  the  tail, 
and  has  no  connection  with  the  breath. 

We  now  come  to  another  section  of  the  serpents,  termed  the  CoLU- 


THE  GRASS   SNAKE. 


51i 


BRiNiE,  the  members  of  which  are  known  by  the  broad  band-like  plates 
of  the  abdomen,  the  shielded  head,  the  conical  tail,  and  the  teeth  of 
both  jaws.  Some  of  them  are  harmless  and  unfurnished  with  fangs, 
whereas  some  are  extremely  venomous  and  are  furnished  with  poison- 
fangs  in  the  upper  jaw.  These,  however,  do  not  fold  down  like  those 
of  the  viper  and  rattlesnake,  but  remain  perfectly  erect. 

Our  common  Grass  Snake,  or  Ringed  Snake,  is  a  good  example 
of  these  reptiles. 

It  is  extremely  plentiful  throughout  England,  being  found  in  almost 
every  wood,  copse,  or  hedgerow,  where  it  may  be  seen  during  the  warm 
months  of  the  year  sunning  itself  on  the  banks  or  gently  gliding  along 
in  search  of  prey,  always,  however,  betraying  itself  to  the  initiated  ear 


The  Grass  Snake  or  Ringed  Snake  (Tropidonotus  natrix). 

by  a  peculiar  rustling  among  the  herbage.  Sometimes  it  may  be  de- 
tected while  in  the  act  of  creeping  up  a  perpendicular  trunk  or  stem — a 
feat  which  it  accomplishes,  not  by  a  spiral  movement,  as  is  generally 
represented  by  artists,  but  by  pressing  itself  firmly  against  the  object, 
so  as  to  render  its  body  flatter  and  wider,  and  crawling  up  by  the 
movement  of  the  large  banded  scales  of  the  belly,  the  body  being 
straight  and  rigid  as  a  stick,  and  ascending  in  a  manner  that  seems 
almost  inexplicable. 

The  Ringed  Snake  is  perfectly  harmless,  having  no  venomous  fangs, 
and  all  its  teeth  being  of  so  small  a  size  that,  even  if  the  creature  were 
to  snap  at  the  hand,  the  skin  would  not  be  injured. 

The  food  of  the  Ringed  Snake  consists  mostly  of  insects  and  reptiles, 
frogs  being  the  favorite  prey.  I  have  known  snakes  to  eat  the  com- 
mon newt,  and  in  such  cases  the  victim  was  invariably  swallowed  head 

2  H 


514  THE  TREE  SERPENTS. 

first,  whereas  the  frog  is  eaten  in  just  the  opposite  direction'.  Usually 
the  frog,  when  pursued  by  the  serpent,  seems  to  lose  all  its  energy,  and 
instead  of  jumping  away,  as  it  would  do  if  chased  by  a  human  being, 
crawls  slowly  like  a  toad,  dragging  itself  painfully  along  as  if  paralyzed. 
The  snake,  on  coming  up  with  its  prey,  stretches  out  its  neck  and  quietly 
grasps  one  hind  foot  of  the  frog,  which  thenceforward  delivers  itself  up 
to  its  destroyer  an  unresisting  victim. 

The  whole  process  of  swallowing  a  frog  is  very  curious,  as  the  crea- 
ture is  greatly  wider  than  the  mouth  of  the  snake,  and  in  many  cases, 
when  the  frog  is  very  large  and  the  snake  rather  small,  the  neck  of  the 
serpent  is  hardly  as  wide  as  a  single  hind  leg  of  the  frog,  while  the  body 
is  so  utterly  disproportioned  that  its  reception  seems  wholly  impossible. 
Moreover,  the  snake  generally  swallows  one  leg  first,  the  other  leg  kick- 
iug  freely  in  the  air.  However,  the  serpent  contrives  to  catch  either 
the  knee  or  the  foot  in  its  mouth  during  these  convulsive  struggles, 
and  by  slow  degrees  swallows  both  legs.  The  limbs  seem  to  act  as  a 
kind  of  wedge,  making  the  body  follow  easily,  and  in  half  an  hour  or 
so  the  frog  has  disappeared  from  sight,  but  its  exact  position  in  the 
body  of  the  snake  is  accurately  defined  by  the  swollen  abdomen. 
Should  the  frog  be  small,  it  is  snapped  up  by  the  side,  and  swallowed 
without  more  ado. 

The  Ringed  Snake  is  fond  of  water  and  is  a  good  swimmer,  sometimes 
diving  with  great  ease  and  remaining  below  the  surface  for  a  consider- 
able length  of  time,  and  sometimes  swimming  boldly  for  a  distance  that 
seems  very  great  for  a  terrestrial  creature  to  undertake.  This  reptile 
will  even  take  to  the  sea,  and  has  been  noticed  swimming  between 
Wales  and  Anglesea. 

During  winter  the  snake  retires  to  some  sheltered  spot,  where  it  re- 
mains until  the  warm  days  of  spring  call  it  again  to  action.  The  local- 
ities which  it  chooses  for  its  winter-quarters  are  always  in  some  well- 
sheltered  spot,  generally  under  the  gnarled  roots  of  ancient  trees,  under 
heaps  of  dry  brushwood,  or  in  deep  crevices.  In  these  places  the  snakes 
will  congregate  in  great  numbers,  more  than  a  hundred  having  been 
taken  from  one  hollow.  A  few  years  ago  I  saw  a  hole  from  which  a 
great  number  of  Ringed  Snakes  had  been  taken  ;  it  was  situated  in  a 
bank  at  some  depth.  The  color  of  the  Ringed  Snake  is  grayish  green 
al)ove  and  blue-black  below,  often  mottled  with  deep  black.  Behind 
tlie  head  is  a  collar  of  golden  yellow,  often  broken  in  the  middle  so  as 
to  look  like  two  patches  of  yellow.  Behind  the  yellow  collar  is  another 
of  black,  sometimes  broken  in  the  middle  also.  Along  the  back  run 
two  rows  of  small  dark  spots,  and  a  row  of  large  oblong  spots  is  ar- 
ranged down  each  side.  Both  the  color  and  the  shape  of  the  spots  are 
very  variiible. 

One  group  cf  suiikes  is  composed  of  the  Tree  Serpents,  or  Den- 


THE  BOOMSLANGE.  516 

drophidse,  so  called  from  the  habit  of  residing  among  the  branches  of 
trees. 

Our  first  example  of  this  family  is  the  well-known  Boomslange  of 
Southern  Africa.  In  pronouncing  this  word,  which  is  of  Dutch  or 
German  origin,  and  signifies  "  tree  snake,"  the  reader  must  remember 
that  it  is  a  word  of  three  syllables.  The  Boomslange  is  a  native  of 
Southern  Africa,  and  is  among  the  most  variable  of  serpents  in  color- 
ing, being  green,  olive,  or  brown,  of  such  different  colors  that  it  has 
often  been  separated  into  several  distinct  species. 

Dr.  A.  Smith  has  given  the  following  valuable  description  of  the 
Boomslange  and  its  habits: 

"  The  natives  of  South  Africa  regard  the  Boomslange  as  poisonous, 
but  in  their  opinion  we  cannot  concur,  as  we  have  not  been  able  to  dis- 
cover the  existence  of  any  gland  manifestly  organized  for  the  secretion 
of  poison.  The  fangs  are  enclosed  in  a  soft  pulpy  sheath,  the  inner 
surface  of  which  is  commonly  coated  with  a  thin  glairy  secretion.  This 
secretion  may  possibly  have  something  acrid  and  irritating  in  its  qual- 
ity, which  may,  when  it  enters  a  wound,  occasion  pain  and  swelling, 
but  nothing  of  great  importance. 

"  The  Boomslange  is  generally  found  on  trees,  to  which  it  resorts  for 
the  purpose  of  catching  birds,  upon  which  it  delights  to  feed.  The 
presence  of  a  specimen  in  a  tree  is  generally  soon  discovered  by  the 
birds  of  the  neighborhood,  who  collect  around  it  and  fly  to  and  fro, 
uttering  the  most  piercing  cries,  until  some  one,  more  terror-struck  than 
the  rest,  actually  scans  its  lips,  and  almost  without  resistance  becomes 
a  meal  for  its  enemy.  During  such  a  proceeding  the  snake  is  gene- 
rally observed  with  its  head  raised  about  ten  or  twelve  inches  above 
the  branch  round  which  the  body  and  tail  are  entwined,  with  its  mouth 
open  and  its  neck  inflated,  as  if  anxiously  endeavoring  to  increase  the 
terror  which  it  would  almost  appear  it  was  aware  would  sooner  or  later 
bring  within  its  grasp  some  one  of  the  feathered  group. 

"  Whatever  may  be  said  in  ridicule  of  fascination,  it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  birds,  and  even  quadrupeds  also,  are,  under  certain  circum- 
stances, unable  to  retire  from  the  presence  of  certain  of  their  enemies, 
and,  what  is  even  more  extraordinary,  unable  to  resist  the  propensity 
to  advance  from  a  situation  of  actual  safety  into  one  of  the  most  immi- 
nent danger.  This  I  have  often  seen  exemplified  in  the  case  of  birds 
and  snakes ;  and  I  have  heard  of  instances  equally  curious,  in  which 
antelopes  and  other  quadrupeds  have  been  so  bewildered  by  the  sudden 
appearance  of  crocodiles,  and  by  the  grimaces  and  contortions  they 
practised,  as  to  be  unable  to  fly,  or  even  move,  from  the  spot  toward 
which  they  were  approaching  to  seize  them." 

We  now  come  to  one  of  the  most  deadly  of  the  Serpent  tribe,  the 
well-known  Cobra  di  Capello,  or  Hooded  Cobra,  of  India. 


516 


THE  COBRA  DI  CAPELLO. 


This  celebrated  serpent  has  long  been  famous  not  only  for  the  deadly 
power  of  its  venom,  but  for  the  singular  performances  in  which  it  takes 
part.  The  Cobra  inhabits  many  parts  of  Asia,  and  in  almost  every 
place  where  it  is  found  certain  daring  men  take  upon  themselves  the 
profession  of  serpent-charmers,  and  handle  these  fearful  reptiles  with 
impunity,  cause  them  to  move  in  time  to  certain  musical  sounds,  and 
•ssert  that  they  bear  a  life  charmed  against  the  bite  of  their  reptilian 

playmates.  One  of 
these  men  will  take 
a  Cobra  in  his  bare 
hands,  toss  it  about 
with  perfect  noncha- 
lance, allow  it  to 
twine  about  his  na- 
ked breast,  tie  it  round 
his  neck,  and  treat  it 
with  as  little  cere- 
mony as  if  it  were  an 
earthworm.  He  will 
then  take  the  same 
serpent — or  apparent- 
ly the  same — make  it 
bite  a  fowl,  which  soon 
dies  from  the  poison, 
and  will  then  repeat 
his  previous  perform- 
ances. 

Some    persons    say 

rp„^  r'^^T,.        r.  ,  XT  .       .     ,.     X  that  the  whole  affair 

iHE  Cobra  di  Capello  {Naja  tnpudians).  •     i     ^  i  •i.-x- 

•^       -^  IS   but   an    exhibition 

of  that  jugglery  in  which  the  Indians  are  such  wondrous  adepts ;  that  the 
serpents  with  which  the  man  plays  are  harmless,  having  been  deprived 
of  their  fangs ;  and  that  a  really  venomous  specimen  is  adroitly  substi- 
tuted for  the  purpose  of  killing  the  fowl.  It  is  moreover  said,  and 
truly,  that  a  snake  thought  to  have  been  rendered  innocuous  by  the 
deprivation  of  its  fangs  has  bitten  one  of  its  masters  and  killed  him, 
thus  proving  the  imposture. 

Still,  neither  of  these  explanations  will  entirely  disprove  the  mastery 
of  man  over  a  venomous  serpent.  In  the  first  instance,  it  is  surely  as 
l>pnlous  an  action  to  substitute  a  venomous  serpent  as  to  play  with  it. 
Where  was  it  hidden,  why  did  it  not  bite  the  man  instead  of  the  fowl, 
and  how  did  the  juggler  prevent  it  from  using  its  teeth  while  he  was 
conveying  it  away?  And,  in  the  second  instance,  the  detection  of  an 
impostor  is  by  no  means  a  proof  that  all  who   pretend  to  the  same 


THE  COBRA  DI  CAPELLO.  517 

powers  are  likewise  impostors.  The  following  narrative  of  Mr.  H.  E. 
Reyne,  quoted  by  Sir  J.  E.  Tennent  in  his  Natural  History  of  Ceylon, 
seems  to  be  a  sufficient  proof  that  the  man  did  possess  sufficient  power 
to  induce  a  truly  poisonous  serpent  to  leave  its  hole  and  to  perform 
certain  antics  at  his  command  :  "  A  snake-charmer  came  to  my  bungalow 
in  1854,  requesting  me  to  allow  him  to  show  me  his  snakes  dancing. 
As  I  had  frequently  seen  them,  I  told  him  I  would  give  him  a  rupee 
if  he  would  accompany  me  to  the  jungle  and  catch  a  Cobra  that  I  knew 
frequented  the  place. 

"  He  was  willing,  and,  as  I  was  anxious  to  test  the  truth  of  the  charm, 
I  counted  his  tame  snakes,  and  put  a  watch  over  them  until  I  returned 
with  him.  Before  going  I  examined  the  man,  and  satisfied  myself  he 
had  no  snake  about  his  person.  AVhen  we  arrived  at  the  spot  he  played 
upon  a  small  pipe,  and  after  persevering  for  some  time  out  came  a 
large  Cobra  from  an  ant-hill  which  I  knew  it  occupied.  On  seeing  the 
man  it  tried  to  escape,  but  he  caught  it  by  the  tail  and  kept  swinging 
it  round  until  we  reached  the  bungalow.  He  then  made  it  dance,  but 
before  long  it  bit  him  above  the  knee.  He  immediately  bandaged  the 
leg  above  the  bite,  and  applied  a  snake-stone  to  the  wound  to  extract 
the  poison.  He  was  in  great  pain  for  a  few  minutes,  but  after  that 
it  gradually  went  away,  the  stone  falling  off  just  before  he  was  re- 
lieved. 

"  When  he  recovered  he  held  up  a  cloth,  at  which  the  snake  flew, 
and  caught  its  fangs  in  it.  While  in  that  position  the  man  passed  his 
hand  up  its  back,  and,  having  seized  it  by  the  throat,  he  extracted  the 
fangs  in  my  presence  and  gave  them  to  me.  He  then  squeezed  out 
the  poison  on  to  a  leaf  It  was  a  clear  oily  substance,  and  when  rubbed 
on  the  hand  produced  a  fine  lather.  I  carefulJy  watched  the  whole 
operation,  which  was  also  witnessed  by  my  clerk  and  two  or  three 
other  persons." 

One  ncL^oble  peculiarity  in  the  Cobra  is  the  expansion  of  the  neck, 
popularlycrJicJ  the  hood.  This  phenomenon  is  attributable  not  only  to 
the  skin  cinu  muscles,  but  to  the  skeleton.  'About  twenty  pairs  of  the 
ribs  of  the  neck  and  fore  part  of  the  back  are  flat  instead  of  curved, 
and  increase  gradually  from  the  head  to  the  eleventh  or  tw^elfth  pair, 
from  which  they  decrease  until  they  are  merged  into  the  ordinary  curved 
ribs  of  the  body. 

When  the  snake  is  excited  it  brings  these  ribs  forward,  so  as  to 
spread  the  skin,  and  then  displays  the  oval  hood  to  the  best  advantage. 
In  this  species  the  back  of  the  hood  is  ornamented  with  two  large  eye- 
like spots,  united  by  a  curved  black  stripe,  so  formed  that  the  whole 
mark  bears  a  singular  resemblance  to  a  pair  of  spectacles. 

It  is  rather  curious  that  many  persons  fancy  that  the  Cobra  loses  a 
joint  of  its  tail   every  time  that  it  sheds  its   poison,  this  belief  being 

44 


518 


THE  COMMON   FROG. 


exactly  opposite  to  the  popular  notion  that  the  rattlesnake  gains  a  new 
joint  to  its  rattle  for  every  being  which  it  has  killed. 

The  Batrachtans  are  separated  from  the  true  reptiles  on  account 
of  their  peculiar  development,  which  gives  them  a  strong  likeness  to 
the  fishes,  and  affords  a  good  ground  for  considering  these  animals  to 
form  a  distinct  order.  On  their  extrusion  from  the  egg  they  bear  no 
resemblance  to  their  parents,  but  are  in  a  kind  of  intermediate  exist- 
ence, closely  analogous  to  the  caterpillar  or  larval  state  of  insects,  and 
called  by  the  same  name.  Like  the  fish,  they  exist  wholly  in  the  water, 
and  breathe  through  gills  instead  of  lungs,  obtaining  the  needful  oxygen 
from  the  water  which  washes  the  delicate  gill-membranes.  At  this 
early  period  they  have  no  external  limbs,  moving  by  the  rapid  vibra- 
tion of  the  flat  and  fan-like  tail  with  which  they  are  supplied.  While 
in  this  state  they  are  popularly  called  tadpoles,  those  of  the  frog 
sometimes  bearing  the  provincial  name  of  pollywogs.  The  skin  of 
the  Batrachians  is  not  scaly,  and  in  most  instances  is  smooth  and  soft. 
Further  peculiarities  will  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  different 
species. 

These  creatures  fall  naturally  into  two  sub-orders,  the  Leaping  or 
tailless  Batrachians,  and  the  Crawling  Batrachians.  The  Leaping 
Batrachians,  comprising  the  Frogs  and  toads,  are  familiar  in  almost 

all      lands,    and 

£^II^^-^^S!Iir^^^HMfil^    ^^   England    are 

well  known  on 
account  of  their 
British  represen- 
tatives. 

The  most  fa- 
miliar of  all  the 
Batrachians  is 
the  Common 
Frog  of  Europe. 
The  general 
form  and  appear- 
ance of  this  crea- 
ture are  too  well 
known  to  need 
much  descrip- 
tion. It  is  found 
plentifully  in  all 
parts  of  England, 

o- 1      ui     T  «  wandering  to  con- 

8iderable  distances  from  water,  and  sometimes  getting  into  pits,  cellars, 
and  similar  localities,  where  it  lives  for  years  without  ever  seeing 


The  Common  Frog  {Bana  iempmariu). 


THE  COMMON  FROG. 


519 


watir.  The  food  of  the  adult  frog  is  wholly  of  an  animal  character, 
and  consists  of  slugs,  possibly  worms,  and  insects  of  nearly  every  kind, 
the  wire  worm  being  a  favorite  article  of  diet.  A  little  colony  of  Frogs 
is  most  useful  in  a  garden,  as  its  members  will  do  more  to  keep  down 
the  various  insect  vermin  that  injure  the  garden  than  can  be  achieved 
by  the  constant  labor  of  a  human  being. 

The  chief  interest  of  the  Frog  lies  in  the  curious  changes  which  it 
undergoes  before  it  attains  its  perfect  condition.  Every  one  is  familiar 
with  the  huge  masses  of  transparent  jelly-like  substance,  profusely  and 
regularly  dotted  with  black  spots,  which  lie  in  the  shallows  of  a  river 
or  the  ordinary  ditches  that  intersect  the  fields.  Each  of  these  little 
l)lack  spots  is  the  egg  of  a  Frog,  and  is  surrounded  with  a  globular 
gr'latinous  envelope  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter. 

In  process  of  time  certain  various  changes  take  place  in  the  egg,'and 
at  the  proper  period  the  form  of  the  young  Frog  begins  to  become  ap- 
parent. In  this  state  it  is  a  black  grub-like 
creature,  with  a  large  head  and  a  flattened 
tail.  By  degrees  it  gains  strength,  and  at 
last  fairly  breaks  its  way  through  the  egg, 
and  is  launched  upon  a  world  of  dangers 
under  the  various  names  of  tadpole,  pollywog, 
toe-biter,  or  horsenail. 

As  it  is  intended  for  the  present  to  lead  an 
aquatic  life,  its  breathing  apparatus  is  formed 
on  the  same  principle  as  the  gills  of  a  fish,  but 
is  visible  externally,  and  when  fully  developed 
consists  of  a  double  tuft  of  finger-like  append- 
ages on  each  side  of  the  head.  The  tadpole, 
with  the  fully-developed  branchiae,  is  shown  at  Fig.  a  on  the  accompany- 
ing illustration.  No  sooner,  however,  have  these  organs  attained  their 
size  than  they  begin  again  to  diminish,  the  shape  of  the  body  and  head 
being  at  the  same  time  much  altered,  as  is  seen  in  Fig.  b.  In  a  short 
time  they  entirely  disappear,  being  drawn  into  the  cavity  of  the  chest 
and  guarded  externally  by  a  kind  of  gill-cover. 

Other  changes  are  taking  place  meanwhile.  Just  behind  the  head 
two  little  projections  appear  through  the  skin,  which  soon  develop  into 
legs,  which,  however,  are  not  at  all  employed  for  progression,  as  the 
tadpole  wriggles  its  way  through  the  water  with  that  quick  ilndulation 
of  the  flat  tail  which  is  so  familiar  to  us  all.  The  creature  then  bears 
the  appearance  represented  in  Fig.  c.  Presently  another  pair  of  legs 
make  their  appearance  in  front,  the  tail  is  gradually  absorbed  into  the 
body — not  falling  off*,  according  to  the  popular  belief — the  branchiae 
vanish,  and  the  lungs  are  developed.  Fig.  d  represents  a  young 
Frog  just  before  the  tail  is  fully  absorbed. 


Tadpoles. 


520 


THE  EDIBLE  FKOG  AND  THE  COMMON  TOAD. 


The  iDternal  changes  are  as  marvellous  as  the  external.  When  first 
hatched  the  young  tadpole  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a  fish,  has  fish- 
like bones,  fish-like  gills,  and  a  heart  composed  of  only  two  chambers, 
one  auricle  and  one  ventricle.  But,  in  proportion  to  its  age,  these  or- 
gans receive  corresponding  modifications,  a  third  chamber  for  the  heart 
being  formed  by  the  expansion  of  one  of  the  large  arteries,  the  vessels 
of  the  branchiae  becoming  gradually  suppressed  and  their  place  supplied 
by  beautifully  cellular  lungs,  formed  by  a  development  of  certain  mem- 
branous sacs  that  appear  to  be  analogous  to  the  air-bladders  of  the 
fishes. 

The  celebrated  Edible  Frog,  or  Green  Frog  of  Europe  {Rami 
esculentci),  also  belongs  to  this  large  genus.  This  handsome  species 
is  common  in  all  the  warmer  parts  of  the  Continent,  but  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  large  cities  is  seldom  seen,  except  in  the  ponds  where  it  is  pre- 
served, and  whence  issues  a  horrid  nocturnal  concert  in  the  breeding- 
time.  The  proprietors  of  these  froggeries  supply  the  market  regularly, 
and  draw  out  the  Frogs  with  large  wooden  rakes  as  they  are  wanted. 
In  Paris  these  creatures  are  sold  at  a  rather  high  price  for  the  table, 
and,  as  only  the  hind  legs  are  eaten,  a  dish  of  Frogs  is  rather  an  expen- 
sive article  of  diet. 

We  now  arrive  at  another  section  of  Batrachians,  including  those 
creatures  which  are  known  under  the  title  of  Toads,  and  of  which  the 
Common  Toad  of  Europe  is  so  familiar  an  example.     The  members  of 

this  section  may  be  known 

'/'iSl^^^^^^^^^^^^S  by  the  absence  of  teeth  in 

V  '^iWiiiiiiP^^^='3^^^te  *^^  j^'^^^  ^"^  ^^^^  well-de- 

"  ""ifc" '  '  IlillB  veloped  ears. 

^r-  ;||b||IM  The  general  aspect  and 

habits  of  this  creature  are 
too  well  known  to  require 
more  than  a  cursory  no- 
tice. Few  creatures,  per- 
haps, have  been  more  re- 
viled and  maligned  than 
the  Toad,  and  none  with 
less  reason.  In  the  olden 
days  the  Toad  was  held 
to  be  the  very  compen- 
,  dium    of  poison,   and   to 

have  so  deadly  an  effect  upon  human  beings  that  two  persons  were  re- 
late to  have  died  from  eating  the  leaf  of  a  sage-bush  under  which  a 
load  had  burrowed. 

In  France  this  poor  creature  is  shamefully  persecuted,  the  idea  of 
Its  venomous  and  spiteful  nature  being  widely  disseminated  and  deeply 


The  Common  Toad  [Bufo  vulgaris). 


THE  COMMON  TOAD.  521 

rooted.  The  popular  notion  is  that  the  Toad  is  poisonous  throughout 
its  life,  but  that  after  the  age  of  fifty  years  it  acquires  venomous  fangs 
like  those  of  the  serpents. 

In  point  of  fact,  the  Toad  is  a  most  useful  animal,  devouring  all 
kinds  of  insect  vermin,  and  making  its  rounds  by  night  when  the  slugs, 
caterpillars,  earwigs,  and  other  creatures  are  abroad  on  their  destruc- 
tive mission.  Many  of  the  market-gardeners  are  so  well  aware  of  the 
extreme  value  of  the  Toad's  services  that  they  purchase  Toads  at  a  cer- 
tain sum  per  dozen,  and  turn  them  out  in  their  grounds. 

Last  year  my  children  had  several  large  Toads  which  were  quite 
tame.  They  used  to  carry  the  Toads  in  their  hands  round  the  garden, 
and  then  hold  them  up  to  flowers  on  which  insects  had  settled.  The 
Toads  were  quite  accustomed  to  this  mode  of  feeding,  and  always  caught 
the  insects. 

Entomologists  sometimes  make  a  curious  use  of  the  Toad.  Going 
into  the  fields  soon  after  daybreak,  they  catch  all  the  Toads  they  can 
find,  kill  them,  and  turn  the  contents  of  their  stomachs  into  water.  On 
examining  the  mass  of  insects  that  are  found  in  the  stomach,  and  which 
are  floated  apart  on  the  water,  there  are  almost  always  some  specimens 
of  valuable  insects,  generally  beetles,  which,  from  their  nocturnal  habits, 
small  dimensions,  and  sober  coloring,  cannot  readily  be  detected  by 
human  eyes. 

The  Toad  will  also  eat  worms,  and  in  swallowing  them  it  finds  its 
fore  feet  of  great  use.  The  worm  is  seized  by  the  middle,  and  writhes 
itself  frantically  into  such  contortions  that  the  Toad  would  not  be  able 
to  swallow  it  but  by  the  aid  of  its  fore  feet,  which  it  uses  as  if  they  were 
hands.  Sitting  quietly  down  with  the  worm  in  its  mouth,  the  Toad 
pushes  it  farther  between  the  jaws,  first  with  one  paw  and  then  with 
another,  until  it  succeeds  by  alternate  gulps  and  pushes  in  forcing  the 
worm  fairly  down  its  throat. 

This  animal  is  extremly  tenacious  of  life,  and  is  said  to  possess  the 
power  of  retaining  life  foi*  an  unlimited  period  if  shut  up  in  a  com- 
pletely air-tight  cell.  Many  accounts«are  in  existence  of  Toads  which 
have  been  discovered  in  blocks  of  stone  when  split  open,  and  the  infer- 
ence has  been  drawn  that  they  were  enclosed  in  the  stone  while  it  was 
still  in  the  liquid  state,  some  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years  ago,  ac- 
cording to  the  particular  geological  period,  and  had  remained  without 
food  or  air  until  the  stroke  of  the  pick  brought  them  once  more  to  the 
light  of  day. 

The  development  of  the  Toad  is  much  like  that  of  the  Frog,  except 
that  the  eggs  are  not  laid  in  masses,  but  in  long  strings,  containing  a 
double  series  of  eggs  placed  alternately.  These  chains  are  about  three 
or  four  feet  in  length  and  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  They 
are  deposited   rather  later  than  those  of  the   Frog,  and  the  reptiles, 

44* 


ryl'l 


THE  NATTERJACK  AND  THE  GREEN  TREE-FROG. 


which  are  smaller  and  blacker  than  the  Frog  larvae,  do  not  assume  their 
perfect  form  until  August  or  September. 

Another  species  of  Toad,  the  Natterjack,  is  found  in  many  parts 
of  England.  It  may  be  known  from  the  common  species  by  the  short 
hind  legs,  the  more  prominent  eyes,  the  less  webbed  feet,  the  yellow 
line  along  the  middle  of  the  back,  and  the  black  bands  on  the  legs. 
It  is  not  so  aquatic  as  the  common  Toad,  haunting  dry  places,  and  sel- 
dom approaching  water  except  during  the  breeding  season.  Its  ordi- 
nary length  is  about  three  inches. 

This  is  really  a  pretty  creature,  its  color  being  green,  diversified  with 
a  line  of  bright  yellow  along  the  back.  I  kept  several  of  these  Toads 
for  a  long  tinie,  feeding  them  with  various  insects.  No  matter  how 
large  or  active  the  insect  might  be  which  was  put  into  the  box,  sooner 
or  later  the  Natterjacks  were  sure  to  catch  it. 

We  now  come  to  the  Tree-Feogs,  or  Tree-Toads,  so  called  from 
their  habits  of  climbing  trees  and  attaching  themselves  to  the  branches 

or  leaves  by  means  of  certain 
discs  on  the  toes,  like  those  of 
the  geckos. 

The  best  known  species  is  the 
common  Green  Tree- Frog  of 
Europe,  now  so  familiar  from  its 
frequent  introduction  into  fern- 
cases  and  terrestrial  vivaria. 

This   pretty    creature    is  found 
mostly    upon    trees,    clinging    to 
either   their    branches   or   leaves, 
and  being  generally  in  the  habit 
of   attaching  itself  to   the   under 
side  of  the   leaves,  which   it  re- 
sembles so  strongly  in  color  that 
it  is  almost   invisible  even  when 
its  situation  is  pointed  out.    When 
kept  in  a  fern-case  it  is  fond  of  ascending  the  perpendicular  glass  sides, 
and  there  sticking  firmly  and  motionless,  its  legs  drawn  closely  to  the 
body,  and  its  abdomen  flattened  against  the  glass. 

Tiie  food  of  the  Tree-Frog  consists  almost  entirely  of  insects,  worms,' 
and  snnilar  creatures,  which  are  captured  as  they  pass  near  the  leaf 
wla-reto  their  green  foe  is  adhering.  It  is  seldom  seen  on  the  ground 
except  durmg  the  breeding  season,  when  it  seeks  the  water,  and  there 
deposits  Its  eggs  nmch  in  the  same  manner  as  the  common  Frog.  The 
tadpole  is  hatched  rather  late  in  the  season,  and  does  not  attain  its 
pertec't  form  until  two  full  months  have  elapsed.  Like  the  Toad,  the 
iree-i  rog  swallows  its  skin  after  the  change.     The  common  Tree-Frog 


The  Green  Tree-Frog  {Hyla  arborea) 


THE  POUCHED  FROG  AND  THE  RHINOPHRYNE.         523 

is  wonderfully  tenacious  of  life,  suffering  the  severest  wounds  without 
seeming  to  be  much  distressed,  and  having  even  been  frozen  quite  stiff 
in  a  mass  of  ice  without  perishing. 

The  color  of  this  species  is  green  above,  sometimes  spotted  with 
olive,  and  a  grayish  yellow  streak  runs  through  each  eye  toward  the 
sides,  where  it  becomes  gradually  fainter,  and  is  at  last  lost  in  the 
green  color  of  the  skin.  In  some  specimens  there  is  a  grayish  spot 
on  the  loins.  Below,  it  is  of  a  paler  hue,  and  a  black  streak  runs  along 
the  side,  dividing  the  vivid  green  of  the  back  from  the  white  hue  of  the 
abdomen. 

In  the  Pouched  Frog  we  find  a  most  singular  example  of  structure, 
the  female  being  furnished  with  a  pouch  on  her  back,  in  which  the 
eggs  are  placed  when  hatched,  and  carried  about  for  a  considerable 
period. 

This  pouch  is  clearly  analogous  to  the  living  cradle  of  the  marsupial 
animals.  It  is  not  merely  developed  when  wanted,  but  is  permanent, 
and  lined  with  skin  like  that  of  the  back.  The  pouch  does  not  attain 
its  full  development  until  the  creature  is  of  mature  age,  and  the  male 
does  not  possess  it  at  all.  When  filled  with  eggs  the  pouch  is  much 
dilated,  and  extends  over  the  whole  back  nearly  as  far  as  the  back  of 
the  head.  The  opening  is  not  easily  seen  without  careful  examination, 
being  very  narrow  and  hidden  in  folds  of  the  skin. 

The  Rhinophryne  is  remarkable  as  being  the  only  known  example 
among  the  Frogs  where  the  tongue  has  its  free  end  pointing  forward, 
instead  of  being  directed  toward  the  throat. 

This  curious  species  inhabits  Mexico,  and  can  easily  be  recognized 
by  the  peculiar  form  of  its  head,  which  is  rounded,  merged  into  the 
body,  and  has  the  muzzle  abruptly  truncated,  so  as  to  form  a  small 
circular  disc  in  front.  The  gape  is  extremely  small,  and  the  head 
would,  if  separated,  be  hardly  recognizable  as  having  belonged  to  a 
Frog.  The  legs  are  very  short  and  thick,  and  the  feet  are  half  webbed. 
Each  hind  foot  is  furnished  with  a  flat,  oval,  horny  spur  formed  by  the 
development  of  one  of  the  bones.  There  are  no  teeth  in  the  jaws, 
and  the  ear  is  imperfect.  The  color  of  the  Rhinophryne  is  slaie- 
gray,  with  yellow  spots  on  the  sides  and  a  row  of  similar  spots  along 
the  back.  Sometimes  these  latter  spots  unite,  so  as  to  form  a  jagged 
line  down  the  back. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Crawling  Batrachians,  technically  called 
Amphibia  Gradientia.  All  these  creatures  have  a  much  elongated 
body,  a  tail  which  is  never  thrown  off  as  in  the  frogs  and  toads,  and 
limbs  nearly  equal  in  development,  but  never  very  powerful.  Like  the 
preceding  sub-order,  the  young  are  hatched  from  eggs,  pass  through  the 
preliminary  or  tadpole  state,  and,  except  in  very  few  instances,  the 
gills  are  lost  when  the  animal  attains  its  perfect  form.     Both  jaws 


524 


THE  SALAMANDER  AND  THE  NEWT. 


The  ISalamander  {Salamand)-a  maculosa). 


are  furnished  with  teeth,  and  the  palate  is  toothed  in  some  species. 
The  skin  is  without  scales,  and  either  smooth  or  covered  with  wart- 
like excrescences.     There  is  no  true  breast-bone,  but  some  species  have 

ribs. 

The  celebrated  Salamander,  the  subject  of  so  many  strange  fables, 
is  a  species  found  in  many  parts  of  the  continent  of  Europe. 

This  creature  was 
formerly  thought  to 
be  able  to  w^ithstand 
the  action  of  fire,  and 
to  quench  even  the 
most  glowing  furnace 
with  its  icy  body.  It 
is  singular  how  such 
ideas  should  have 
been  so  long  promul- 
gated, for,  although 
Aristotle  repeated 
the  tale  on  hearsay, 
Pliny  tried  the  ex- 
periment by  putting 
a  Salamander  into  the  fire,  and  remarks,  with  evident  surprise,  that  it 
was  burned  to  a  powder.  A  piece  of  cloth  dipped  in  the  blood  of  a 
Salamander  was  said  to  be  unhurt  by  fire,  and  certain  persons  had  in 
their  possession  a  fireproof  fabric,  made,  as  they  stated,  of  Salamander's 
wool,  but  which  proved  to  be  asbestos. 

The  Salamander  is  a  terrestrial  species,  frequenting  the  water  only 
for  the  purpose  of  depositing  its  young,  which  leave  the  Qgg  before 
they  enter  into  independent  existence.  It  is  a  slow  and  timid  animal, 
generally  hiding  itself  in  some  convenient  crevice  during  the  day,  and 
seldom  venturing  out  except  at  night  or  in  rainy  weather.  It  feeds  on 
slugs,  insects,  and  similar  creatures.  During  the  cold  months  it  retires 
into  winter-quarters,  generally  the  hollow  of  some  decaying  tree  or  be- 
neath mossy  stones,  and  does  not  reappear  until  the  spring. 

The  ground  color  of  this  species  is  black,  and  the  spots  are  light  yel- 
low.    Along  the  sides  are  scattered  numerous  small  tubercles. 

The  common  Newt,  Asker,  Effet,  Eft,  or  Evat,  as  it  is  indiflfer- 
ently  termed,  is  well  known  throughout  England.  At  least  two  species 
of  Newt  inhabit  England,  and  some  authors  consider  that  the  number 
(jf  species  is  still  greater.  We  shall,  however,  according  to  the  system 
employed  in  this  work,  follow  the  arrangement  of  the  British  Museum, 
which  accepts  only  two  species,  the  others  being  merely  noted  as  vari- 
eties. *  -^ 

The  Crested  Newt  derives  its  popular  name  from  the  membranous 


THE  CRESTED  NEWT.  525 

crest  which  appears  on  the  back  and  upper  edge  of  the  tail  during  the 
breeding  season,  and  which  adds  so  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  adult 
male. 

This  creature  is  found  plentifully  in  ponds  and  ditches  during  the 
warm  months  of  the  year,  and  may  be  captured  without  difficulty.  It 
is  tolerably  hardy  in  confinement,  being  easily  reared  even  from  a  very 
tender  age,  so  that  its  habits  can  be  carefully  noted. 

At  Oxford  we  had  some  of  these  animals  in  a  large  slate  tank  through 
which  water  was  constantly  running,  and  which  was  paved  with  peb- 
bles and  furnished  with  vallisneria  and  other  aquatic  plants,  for  the 
purpose  of  imitating  as  nearly  as  possible  the  natural  condition  of 
the  water  from  which  the  creatures  had  been  taken.  Here  they  lived 
for  some  time,  and  here  the  eggs  were  hatched  and  the  young  devel- 
oped. 

It  was  a  very  curious  sight  to  watch  the  clever  manner  in  which  the 
female  Newts  secured  their  eggs;  for  which  purpose  they  used  chietly 
to  employ  the  vallisneria,  its  long  slender  blades  being  exactly  the 
leaves  best  suited  for  that  purpose.  They  deposited  an  egg  on  one  of 
the  leaves,  and  then,  by  dexterous  management  of  the  feet,  twisted  the 
leaf  round  the  egg,  so  as  to  conceal  it,  and  contrived  to  fasten  it  so 
firmly  that  the  twist  always  retained  its  form.  The  apparent  shape  of 
the  egg  is  oval,  and  it  seems  to  be  semi-transparent,  but  on  looking 
more  closely  it  is  seen  to  be  nearly  spherical,  of  a  very  pale  yel- 
low-brown, and  enclosed  within  an  oval  envelope  of  gelatinous  sub- 
stance. 

When  the  young  Newt  is  hatched  it  much  resembles  the  common 
tadpole,  but  is  of  a  lighter  color,  and  its  gills  are  more  developed.  It 
rapidly  increases  in  size  until  it  attains  a  length  of  nearly  two  inches, 
the  fore  legs  being  then  tolerably  strong,  and  the  hinder  pair  very  small 
and  weak. 

Toward  the  breeding  season  the  male  changes  sensibly  in  appearance; 
his  colors  are  brighter  and  his  movements  more  brisk.  The  beautiful 
waving  crest  now  begins  to  show  itself  and  grows  with  great  rapidity, 
until  it  assumes  an  appearance  not  unlike  that  of  a  very  thin  cock's 
comb,  extending  from  the  head  to  the  insertion  of  the  hinder  limbs, 
and  being  deeply  toothed  at  the  edge.  The  tail  is  also  furnished  with 
a  crest,  but  with  smooth  edges.  When  the  animal  leaves  the  water 
this  crest  is  hardly  visible,  because  it  is  so  delicate  that  it  folds  upon 
the  body  and  is  confounded  with  the  skin  ;  but  when  supported  by  the 
water  it  waves  with  every  movement  of  its  owner,  and  has  a  most  grace- 
ful aspect. 

After  the  breeding  season  the  crest  diminishes  as  rapidly  as  it  arose, 
and  in  a  short  time  is  almost  wholly  absorbed.  Some  remnants  of  it, 
however,  always  remain,  so  that  the  male  may  be  known  even  in  win- 


526  THE  PROTEUS. 

ter  by  the  liue  of  irregular  excrescences  aloDg  the  back.  The  use  of 
this  crest  is  not  known,  but  it  evidently  bears  a  close  analogy  to  the 
gorgeous  nuptial  plumage  of  many  birds,  which  at  other  times  are 
dressed  in  quite  sober  garments. 

The  Newt  feeds  upon  small  worms,  insects,  and  similar  creatures,  and 
may  be  captured  by  the  simple  process  of  tying  a  worm  on  a  thread  by 
the  middle,  so  as  to  allow  both  ends  to  hang  down,  and  then  angling  as 
if  for  fish.  The  Newt  is  a  ravenous  creature,  and  when  it  catches  a 
worm  closes  its  mouth  so  firmly  that  it  may  be  neatly  landed  before  it 
loosens  its  hold.  Some  writers  recommend  a  hook,  but  I  can  assert, 
from  much  practical  experience,  that  the  hook  is  quite  needless,  and 
that  the  Newt  may  be  captured  by  the  simple  worm  and  thread,  not 
even  a  rod  being  required. 

It  is  curious  to  see  the  Newt  eat  a  worm.  It  seizes  it  by  the  middle 
with  a  sudden  snap,  as  if  the  jaws  were  moved  by  springs,  and  remains 
quiet  for  a  few  seconds,  when  it  makes  another  snap,  which  causes  the 
worm  to  pass  farther  into  its  mouth.  Six  or  seven  such  bites  are  usually 
required  before  the  worm  finally  disappears. 

The  skin  or  epidermis  of  the  Newt  is  very  delicate,  and  is  frequently 
changed,  coming  off  in  the  water  in  flakes.  I  found  that  my  own  speci- 
mens always  changed  their  skin  as  often  as  I  changed  the  water,  and  it 
was  very  curious  to  see  them  swimming  about  with  the  flakes  of  trans- 
parent membrane  clinging  to  their  sides.  The  skin  of  the  paws  is  drawn 
off  just  like  a  glove,  every  finger  being  perfect,  and  even  the  little  wrin- 
kles in  the  palms  beiiig  marked.  These  gloves  look  very  pretty  as  they 
float  in  the  water,  but  if  removed  they  collapse  into  a  shapeless  lump. 

The  food  of  the  Newt  consists  of  worms,  insects,  and  even  the  young 
of  aquatic  reptiles.  I  have  seen  a  large  male  Crested  Newt  make  a 
savage  dart  at  a  younger  individual  of  the  same  species,  but  it  did  not 
succeed  in  eating  the  intended  victim. 

The  next  order  of  Crawling  Batrachians  is  called  by  the  name  of 
Meantia,  and  contains  a  very  few  but  very  remarkable  species.  In 
all  these  creatures  the  body  is  long  and  smooth,  without  scales,  and  the 
gills  are  very  conspicuous,  retaining  their  position  throughout  the  life 
of  the  animal.  There  are  always  two  or  four  limbs  furnished  with  toes, 
but  these  members  are  very  weak,  and  indeed  rudimentary,  and  both 
the  palate  and  the  lower  jaw  are  toothed. 

Tlie  first  example  of  this  order  is  the  celebrated  Proteus,  discovered 
by  the  Baron  de  Zois  in  the  extraordinary  locality  in  which  it  dwells. 

At  Adelsberg,  in  the  duchy  of  Carniola,  is  a  most  wonderful  cavern, 
called  the  Grotto  of  the  Maddalena,  extending  many  hundred  feet  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  consequently  buried  in  the  profbuud- 
est  darkness.  In  this  cavern  exists  a  little  lake,  roofed  with  stalactites, 
surrounded  with  masses  of  rock,  and   floored  with  a  bed  of  soft  mud, 


THE  PKOTEUS.  527 

upon  which  the  Proteus  may  be  seen  crawling  uneasily,  as  if  endeavor- 
ing to  avoid  the  unwelcome  light  by  which  its  presence  is  made  known. 
These  creatures  are  not  always  to  be  found  in  the  lake,  though  after 
heavy  rains  they  are  tolerably  abundant,  and  the  road  by  which  they 
gain  admission  is  at  present  a  mystery. 

The  theory  of  Sir  H.  Davy  is  '•'  that  their  natural  residence  is  a  deep 
subterraneous  lake,  from  which  in  great  floods  they  are  sometimes 
forced  through  the  crevices  of  the  rocks  into  the  places  where  they  are 
found ;  and  it  does  not  appear  to  me  impossible,  when  the  peculiar 
nature  of  the  country  is  considered,  that  the  same  great  cavity  may 
furnish  the  individuals  which  have  been  found  at  Adelsberg  and  at 
Sittich." 

Whatever  may  be  the  solution  of  the  problem,  the  discovery  of  this 
animal  is  extremely  valuable,  not  only  as  an  aid  to  the  science  of  com- 
parative anatomy,  but  as  affording  another  instance  of  the  strange  and 
w^ondrous  forms  of  animal  life  which  still  survive  in  hidden  and  unsus- 
pected nooks  of  the  earth. 

Many  o:'  these  animals  have  been  brought  in  a  living  state  to  this 
country,  and  have  survived  for  a  considerable  time  when  their  owners 
have  taken  pains  to  accommodate  their  condition  as  nearly  as  possible 
to  that  of  their  native  waters.  I  have  had  many  opportunities  of  see- 
ing some  fine  specimens,  brought  by  Dr.  Lionel  Beale  from  the  cave  at 
Adelsberg.  They  could  hardly  be  said  to  have  any  habits,  and  their 
only  custom  seemed  to  be  the   systematic  avoidance  of  light. 

The  gills  of  the  Proteus  are  very  apparent,  and  of  a  reddish  color, 
on  account  of  the  blood  that  circulates  througll  them.  I  have  often 
witnessed  this  phenomenon  by  means  of  the  ingenious  arrangement  in- 
vented by  Dr.  Beale,  by  which  the  creature  was  held  firmly  in  its  place 
while  a  stream  of  water  was  kept  constantly  flowing  through  the  tube 
in  which  it  was  confined.  The  blood-discs  of  this  animal  are  of  extra- 
ordinary size — so  large,  indeed,  that  they  can  be  distinguished  with  a 
common  pocket-magnifier,  even  while  passing  through  the  vessels. 
Some  of  the  blood-corpuscles  of  the  specimen  described  above  are  now 
in  my  possession,  and,  together  with  those  of  the  lepidosiren,  form  a 
singular  contrast  to  the  blood-corpuscles  of  man,  the  former  exceeding 
the  latter  in  dimensions  as  an  ostrich  egg  exceeds  that  of  a  pigeon. 

The  color  of  the  Proteus  is  pale  faded  flesh  tint  with  a  wash  of  gray. 
The  eyes  are  quite  useless  and  are  hidden  beneath  the  skin,  those  or- 
gans being  needless  in  the  dark  recesses  where  the  Proteus  lives.  Its 
length  is  about  a  foot. 


FISHES 


U 


fi 


FISHES. 

In  the  Fishes,  the  last  class  of  vertebrated  animals,  the  chief  and 
most  obvious  distinction  lies  in  their  adaptation  to  a  sub-aqueous  exist- 
ence and  their  unfitness  for  life  upon  dry  land. 

There  are  many  vertebrate  animals  which  pass  the  whole  of  their 
lives  in  the  water,  and  would  die  if  transferred  to  the  land,  such  as  the 
whales  and  the  whole  of  the  cetacean  tribe,  an  account  of  which  may 
be  found  on  page  156.  But  these  creatures  are  generally  incapable  of 
passing  their  life  beneath  the  waters,  as  their  lungs  are  formed  like 
tliose  of  the  mammalia,  and  they  are  forced  to  breathe  atmospheric  air 
at  the  surface  of  the  waves.  And,  though  they  w^ould  die  if  left  upon 
land,  their  death  would  occur  from  inability  to  move  about  in  search 
of  food,  and  in  almost  every  case  a  submersion  of  two  continuous  hours 
would  drown  the  longest-breathed  whale  that  swims  the  seas. 

The  Fishes,  on  the  contrary,  are  expressly  formed  for  aquatic  exist- 
ence, and  the  beautiful  respiratory  organs  which  we  know  by  the  pop- 
ular term  of  "  gills  "  are  so  constructed  that  they  can  supply  sufficient 
oxygen  for  the  aeration  of  the  blood. 

The  reason  that  Fishes  die  when  removed  from  the  water  is  not  be- 
cause the  air  is  poisonous  to  them,  as  some  seem  to  fancy,  but  because 
the  delicate  gill-membranes  become  dry  and  collapse  against  each  other, 
so  that  the  circulation  of  the  blood  is  stopped  and  the  oxygen  of  the 
atmosphere  can  no  longer  act  upon  it.  It  necessarily  follows  that  those 
Fishes  whose  gills  can  longest  retain  moisture  will  live  longest  on  dry 
land,  and  that  those  whose  gills  dry  most  rapidly  will  die  the  soonest. 
The  herring,  for  example,  where  the  delicate  membranes  are  not  suf- 
ficiently guarded  from  the  effects  of  heat  and  evaporation,  dies  almost 
immediately  it  is  taken  out  of  the  water;  whereas  the  carp,  a  fish  whose 
gill-covers  can  retain  much  moisture,  will  survive  for  an  astonishingly 
long  time  upon  dry  land,  and  the  anabas,  or  climbing  perch,  is  actually 
able  to  travel  from  one  pool  to  another,  ascending  the  banks,  and  even 
traversing  hot  and  dusty  roads. 

The  power  by  which  the  Fishes  propel  themselves  through  the  water 
is  obtained  almost  entirely  by  the  lateral  movement  of  the  tail.  The 
fins  are  scarcely  employed  at  all  in  progression,  but  are  usually  used  as 
balancers,  and  occasionally  to  check  an  onw^ard  movement. 

Before  proceeding  further,  I  may  mention  that  all  the  fins  of  a  Fish 
are  distinguished  by  appropriate  names.  As  they  are  extremely  im- 
portant in  determining  the  species,  and  even  the  genus,  of  the  individ- 

531 


5-32  FISHES. 

ual,  and  as  these  members  will  be  mentioned  repeatedly  in  the  follow- 
ing pages,  I  will  briefly  describe  them. 

Beo-inning  at  the  head  and  following  the  line  of  the  back,  we  come 
upon  a  fin  called  from  its  position  the  "dorsal"  fin.  In  very  many 
species  there  are  two  such  fins,  called,  from  their  relative  positions,  the 
first  and  the  second  dorsal  fins.  The  extremity  of  the  body  is  furnished 
with  another  fin,  popularly  called  the  tail,  but  more  correctly  the  "cau- 
dal "  fin.  The  fins  which  are  set  on  that  part  of  the  body  which  cor- 
responds to  the  shoulders  are  termed  the  "  pectoral  "  fins  ;  that  which 
is  found  on  the  under  surface  and  in  front  of  the  vent  is  called  the 
"  abdominal "  fin;  and  that  which  is  also  on  the  lower  surface,  and 
between  the  vent  and  tail,  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  "anal"  fin. 
All  these  fins  vary  extremely  in  shape,  size,  and  even  in  posi- 
tion. 

The  gill-cover — or  operculum,  as  it  is  technically  called — is  sepa- 
rated into  four  portions,  and  is  so  extensively  used  in  determining  the 
genus  and  species  that  a  brief  description  must  be  given.  The  front 
portion,  w  liich  starts  immediately  below  the  eye,  is  called  the  "  prse- 
operculum,"  and  immediately  behind  it  comes  the  "operculum."  Below 
the  latter  is  another  piece,  termed  from  its  position  the  "  sub-opercu- 
lum,"  and  the  lowest  piece,  which  touches  all  the  three  above  it,  is 
called  the  "  inter-operculum."  Below  the  chin,  and  reaching  to  the 
sub-operculum,  are  the  slender  bones  termed  the  "  branchiostegous 
rays,"  which  differ  in  shape  and  number  according  to  the  kind  of 
fish. 

The  scales  with  which  most  of  the  Fish  are  covered  are  very  beauti- 
ful in  structure,  and  are  formed  by  successive  laminae,  increasing,  there- 
fore, in  size  according  to  the  age  of  the  Fish.  They  are  attached  to 
the  skin  by  one  edge,  and  they  overlap  each  other  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  allow  the  creature  to  pass  through  the  water  with  the  least  possible  re- 
sistance. The  precise  mode  of  overlapping  varies  materially  in  different 
grncra.  Along  each  side  of  the  Fish  runs  a  series  of  pores,  through  which 
passes  a  mucous  secretion  formed  in  some  glands  beneath.  In  order  to 
permit  this  secretion  to  reach  the  outer  surface  of  the  body,  each  scale 
upon  the  row  which  comes  upon  the  pores  is  pierced  with  a  little  tub- 
ular aperture,  which  is  very  perceptible  on  the  exterior,  and  constitutes 
the  "  lateral  line."  The  shape  and  position  of  this  line  are  also  used 
in  determining  the  precise  position  held  by  any  species.  In  comparing 
the  scales  taken  from  different  Fishes,  it  is  always  better  to  take  those 
from  the  lateral  line. 

The  heart  of  the  Fish  is  very  simple,  consisting  of  two  chambers 
(|nly,  one  auricle  and   one  ventricle.     The   blood  is   in  consequence 

The  hearing  of  Fishes  appears  in  most  cases  to  be  dull,  and  some 


THE  STUKGEON. 


533 


persons  have  asserted  that  they  are  totally  destitute  of  this  faculty.  It 
is  now,  however,  known  that  many  species  have  been  proved  capable 
of  hearing  sounds,  and  that  carp  and  other  fish  can  be  taught  to  come 
for  their  food  at  the  sound  of  a  bell  or  whistle.  The  internal  structure 
of  the  ear  is  moderately  developed,  and  there  are  some  curious  little 
bones  found  within  the  cavity,  technically  called  the  otoliths. 

The  Fishes  comprised  in  the  first  order  are  called  by  the  rather  harsh- 
ly-sounding title  of  Chondropterygii,  a  term  derived  from  two  Greek 
words,  the  former  signifying  "  cartilage  "  and  the  latter  "  a  fin,"  and 
given  to  these  creatures  because  their  bones  contain  a  very  large  amount 
of  cartilaginous  substance,  and  are  consequently  soft  and  flexible. 
The  bones  of  the  head  are  rather  harder  than  those  of  the  body  and 
fins. 

The  first  family,  of  which  the  common  Sturgeon  is  a  good  and  fa- 
miliar example,  is  at  once  known  by  the  cartilaginous  or  bony  shields 
with  which  the  head  and  body  are  at  intervals  covered. 

In  this  remarkable  fish  the  mouth  is  placed  well  under  the  head,  and 
in  fact  seems  to  b?  set  almost  in  the  throat,  the  long  snout  appearing 
to  be  entirely  a  super-  ^__^  ^_^ 

fluous  ornament.  The 
mouth  projects  down- 
ward like  a  short  and 
wide  tube,  much  wider 
than  long,  and  on  look- 
ing into  this  tube  no 
teeth  are  to  be  seen. 
Between  the  mouth 
and  the  extremity  of 
the  snout  is  a  row  of  fleshy  finger-like  appendages,  four  in  number,  and 
apparently  organs  of  touch. 

One  or  two  species  of  Sturgeon  are  important  in  commerce,  as  two 
valuable  articles — namely,  isinglass  and  caviare — are  made  from  them. 
The  former  substance  is  too  well  known  to  need  a  description,  and  the 
mode  of  preparing  it  for  use  is  briefly  as  follows :  The  air-bladder  is 
removed  from  the  fish,  washed  carefully  in  fresh  water,  and  then  hung 
up  in  the  air  for  a  day  or  two,  so  as  to  stiffen.  The  outer  coat  or  mem- 
brane is  then  peeled  ofi",  and  the  remainder  is  cut  up  into  strips  of 
greater  or  lesser  length,  technically  called  staples,  the  long  staples  being 
the  most  valuable.  This  substance  aflfbrds  so  large  a  quantity  of  gelat- 
inous matter  that  one  part  of  isinglass  dissolved  in  a  hundred  parts  of 
boiling  water  will  form  a  stiff*  jelly  when  cold. 

Caviare  is  made  from  the  roe  of  this  fish,  and,  as  nearly  three  millions 
of  eggs  have  been  taken  from  a  single  fish,  the  amount  of  caviare  that 
one  Sturgeon  can  afford  is  rather  large. 

45  -^ 


The  Sturgeon  {Acipenser  attilus). 


534  THE  LITTLE   DOG-FISH. 

The  body  of  the  Sturgeon  is  elongated,  and  slightly  five-sided  from 
the  head  to  the  tail.  Along  the  body  run  five  rows  of  flattened  bony 
plates,  each  plate  being  marked  with  slight  grooves  in  a  radiating 
fashion,  and  having  a  pointed  and  partly  conical  spine  on  each  plate, 
the  points  being  directed  toward  the  tail.  The  plates  along  the  sum- 
mit of  the  back  are  the  largest. 

The  fishes  belonging  to  the  next  group  have  their  gills  fixed  by  their 
outer  edge  to  the  divisions  in  the  gill-openings  at  the  side  of  the  neck. 
This  group  includes  the  Sharks  and  the  Rays,  many  representatives  of 
which  creatures  are  found  on  the  British  coasts. 

The  first  family  of  this  large  and  important  group  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Scyllidse,  and  its  members  can  be  recognized  by  several  distin- 
guishing characteristics.  They  have  spout-holes  on  the  head,  and  the 
gill-openings  are  five  in  number  on  each  side.  Sometimes  there  seem 
to  be  only  four  openings,  but  on  closer  examination  the  fourth  and 
fifth  are  found  set  closely  together,  the  opening  of  the  fifth  appearing 
within  that  of  the  fourth.  The  teeth  are  sharp  and  pointed,  and  the 
tail  is  long,  notched  on  the  outer  side,  and  is  not  furnished  with  a 
fin. 

One  of  the  commonest  British  species  is  the  Little  Dog-fish,  called 
by  several  other  names,  as  is  usual  with  a  familiar  species  that  is  found 
in  many  localities.  Among  such  names  are  Small  Spotted  Dog-fish, 
Lesser  Spotted  Shark,  Morgay,  and  Robin  Huss. 

This  fish  is  plentiful  on  our  coasts,  especially  in  the  southern  extrem- 
ity of  England,  and  is  often  thought  a  great  nuisance  by  fishermen, 
whose  bait  it  takes  instead  of  the  more  valuable  fish  for  which  the 
hook  was  set.  It  generally  remains  near  the  bottom  of  the  water,  and 
is  a  voracious  creature,  feeding  upon  crustaceans  and  small  fish.  It 
often  follows  the  shoals  of  migrating  fish,  and  on  account  of  that  custom 
is  called  the  Dog-fish.  Generally  its  flesh  is  neglected,  but  when  prop- 
erly dressed  it  is  by  no  means  unpalatable,  and  is  said  to  be  sometimes 
trimmed  and  dressed  in  fraudulent  imitation  of  more  valuable  fish. 

The  skin  of  this  and  other  similar  species  is  rough  and  file-like,  and 
is  employed  for  many  purposes.  The  handles  of  swords,  where  a  firm 
hold  is  required,  are  sometimes  bound  with  this  substance,  and  joiners 
use  it  in  polishing  the  surface  of  fine  woods,  so  as  to  bring  out  the  grain. 
It  is  also  employed  instead  of  sand-paper  upon  match-boxes. 

The  egg  of  this  species  is  very  curious  in  form  and  structure,  and  is 
often  found  on  the  seashore,  flung  up  by  the  waves,  especially  after  a 
storm.  These  objects  are  familiar  to  all  observant  wanderers  by  the 
seashore,  under  the  name  of  mermaid's  purses,  sailor's  purses,  or  sea 
purses.  Their  form  is  oblong,  with  curved  sides,  and  at  each  angle 
there  is  a  long  tendril-like  appendage,  having  a  strong  curl,  and  in 
lorm  not  unlike  the  tendrils  of  the  vine.     The  use  of  these  appendages 


THE  DOG-FISH. 


535 


is  to  enable  the  egg  to  cling  to  the  growing  seaweed  at  the  bottom  of 
the  ocean,  and  to  prevent  it  from  being  washed  away  by  the  tide. 

For  the  escape  of  the  young  shark,  when  strong  enough  to  make  its 
own  way  in  the  wider  world  of  waters,  an  outlet  is  provided  in  the 
opened  end  of  the  envelope,  which  opens  when  pushed  from  within, 
and  permits  the  little  creature  to  make  its  way  out,  though  it  effectual- 
ly bars  the  entrance  against  any  external  foe. 

The  head  of  the  Little  Dog-fish  is  rather  fiat  upon  the  top,  there  is  a 
little.spiracle  or  blow-hole  behind  each  eye,  and  the  shape  of  the  mouth 
is  somewhat  like  that  of  a  horseshoe.  The  general  color  of  the  body  is 
pale  reddish  on  the  upper  parts,  covered  with  many  little  spots  of  dark 
reddish  brown  ;  below  it  is  yellowish  white.     The  length  of  this  species 


The  Dog-fish  {ScyUium  caniculum). 

is  about  eighteen  inches.  The  color  is  beautiful  slate-blue  above,  and 
white  below. 

The  remarkable  fish  depicted  in  the  illustration  affords  a  striking  in- 
stance of  the  wild  and  wondrous  modifications  of  form  assumed  by  cer- 
tain creatures  without  any  ascertained  purpose  being  gained  thereby. 
We  know  by  analogous  reasoning  that  some  wise  purpose  is  served  by 
this  astonishing  variation  in  form,  but  as  far  as  is  yet  known  there  is 
nothing  in  the  habits  of  this  species  that  accounts  for  the  necessity  of 
this  strange  shape. 

The  shape  of  the  body  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  generality  of  sharks, 
but  it  is  upon  the  head  that  the  attention  is  at  once  riveted.  As  may 
be  seen  from  the  figure  the  head  is  expanded  laterally  in  a  most  singu- 
lar manner,  bearing,  indeed,  no  small  resemblance  to  the  head  of  a 


53G     THE  HAMMER-HEADED  SHARK  AND  THE  WHITE  SHARK. 


hammer.  The  eyes  are  placed  at  either  end  of  the  projecting  extrem- 
ities, aud  the  mouth  is  set  quite  below,  its  corners  just  coinciding  with 
a  line  drawn  through  the  two  projecting  lobes  of  the  head. 

This  species  attains  to  a  considerable  size,  seven  or  eight  feet  being  a 
common  measurement,  and  specimens  of  eleven  or  twelve  feet  having 
been  known.  Its  flesh  is  said  to  be  almost  uneatable,  being  hard, 
coarse,  and  ill-flavored.  The  Hammer-headed  Shark  produces  liv- 
ing young,  and  from  the  interior  of  a  very  fine  specimen  captured  near 
Tenby  in  18o9,  and  measuring  more  than  ten  feet  in  length,  were  taken 

no   less    than    thirty- 


per- 
and 


nine  young,    all 

fectly     formed, 

averaging      nineteen 

inches      in      length. 

The     general     color 

of     this     species     is 

grayish  brown  above 

and  grayish  white  be- 
TiiE  Hammer-headed  Shark  [Sphyrriias  zygcena).     |^^^ 

The  dreaded  White  Shark,  the  finny  pirate  of  the  ocean,  is  happily 
almost  a  stranger  to  our  shores,  though  a  stray  specimen  may  now  and 
tlien  visit  the  British  Islands,  there  to  find  but  scant  hospitality. 

This  is  one  of  the  large  species  that  range  the  ocean,  and  in  some 
seas  they  are  so  numerous  that  they  are  the  terror  of  sailors  and  natives. 
One  individual,  whose  jaws  are  still  preserved,  was  said  to  have  meas- 
ured thirty-seven  feet  in  length ;  and  when  we  take  into  consideration 
the  many  instances  where  the  leg  of  a  man  has  been  bitten  off  through 

flesh  and  bone  as 
easily  as  if  it  had 
been  a  carrot,  aud 
even  the  body  of  a 
boy  or  woman  sev- 
ered at  a  single  bite, 
this  great  length  will 
.'  '~^^-^^^i^^\  -^^     -^  not  seem  to  be  exag- 

^   T,,K  W.UTK  S„A„K  i<ii„-ch„rodon  RonMetu).         "    jyj^^y    p^^jj^^^    „f 

this  fi.sh  are  used  in  commerce.  The  sailors  are  fond  of  cleaning  and 
preparing  the  skull,  which,  when  brought  to  England,  is  sure  of  a  ready 
sale,  either  for  a  public  museum  or  to  private  individuals  who  are  struck 
with  its  strange  form  and  terrible  armature.  The  spine,  too,  is  frequently 
taken  from  this  fish,  and  when  dried  it  passes  into  the  hands  of  walking- 
stick  makers,  who  polish  it  neatly,  fit  it  with  a  gold  handle,  and  sell  it 
at  a  very  high  price.     One  of  these  sticks  will  sometimes  fetch  six  or 


THE  SAW-FISH.  537 

seven  pounds.  There  is  also  a  large  amount  of  oil  in  the  Shark,  which 
is  thought  rather  valuable,  so  that  in  Ceylon  and  other  places  a  regular 
trade  in  this  commodity  is  carried  on. 

The  fins  are  very  rich  in  gelatine,  and  in  China  are,  as  is  said,  em- 
ployed largely  in  the  manufacture  of  that  gelatinous  soup  in  which  the 
soul  of  a  Chinese  epicure  delights,  and  of  which  the  turtle  S(^p  of  our 
metropolis  is  thought  by  Chinese  judges  to  be  a  faint  penumbra  or 
distant  imitation.  The  flesh  is  eaten  by  the  natives  of  many  Pacific 
islands,  and  in  some  places  the  liver  is  looked  upon  as  a  royal  luxury, 
being  hung  on  boards  in  the  sun  until  all  the  contained  oil  has  drained 
away,  and  then  carefully  wrapped  up  in  leaves  and  preserved  as  a  del- 
icacy. 

The  color  of  the  White  S]iark  is  ashen  brown  above  and  white 
below. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Rays.  The  first  family  of  these  fishes  is 
evidently  intermediate  between  the  sharks  and  the  skates,  and  is  in 
many  respects  a  very  interesting  and  remarkable  group  of  fishes.  The 
common  Saw-fish,  so  well  known  from  the  singular  development  of 
the  snout,  is  a  good  example  of  this  family. 

It  has  a  very  wide  range  of  locality,  being  found  in  almost  all  the 
warmer  seas,  and  even  in  the  cold  regions  near  the  pole. 

The  snout  of  this  fish  is  greatly  prolonged,  and  flattened  like  a  sword- 
blade.  On  either  edge  it  bears  a  row  of  tooth-like  projections,  firmly 
imbedded  in  the  bone,  few,  short,  and  wide  apart  at  the  base  of  the 
beak,  but  becoming  larger  and  set  closer  together  toward  the  point. 
The  form  of  the  sockets  into  which  the  teeth  are  received,  and  their 
rather  enlarged  termination,  are  conspicuously  indicated  on  the  surface 
of  the  saw-blade.  The  tip  of  the  saw  is  covered  with  hard  granular 
scales.  The  number  of  teeth  is  not  the  same  in  every  individual ;  in 
a  specimen  in  my  possession  there  are  twenty-eight  on  each  side  of  the 
saw. 

It  is  said  that,  like  the  sword-fish,  this  creature  will  attack  the  whale, 
thrusting  its  armed  beak  into  the  soft  blubber-covered  body  of  the  huge 
cetacean,  and  avoiding,  by  its  superior  agility,  the  strokes  of  the  tor- 
tured animal's  tail,  any  blow  of  which,  if  it  succeeded  in  its  aim,  would 
crush  the  assailant  to  death.  The  Saw-fish  does  certainly  use  this 
weapon  for  the  destruction  of  fish.  Colonel  Drayson  has  informed 
me  that  when  lying  becalmed  off*  the  Cape  he  has  more  than  once  seen 
a  Saw-fish  come  charging  among  a  shoal  of  fishes,  striking  right  and 
left  with  the  serrated  edges  of  the  saw,  and  killing  or  disabling  numbers 
of  the  fish  by  this  process. 

In  all  the  Saw-fishes  the  skin  is  covered  with  minute  rounded  or 
hexagonal  scales,  arranged  like  the  stones  of  a  mosaic.  The  temporal 
orifices  are  very  large,  and  are  set  some  distance  behind  the  eyes.     The 


538 


THE  TORPEDO. 


mouth  is  ou  the  under  surface  of  the  head,  and  is  furnished  with  a 
crushing  apparatus  made  exactly  ou  the  principle  of  the  stone-crushing 
machines  of  the  present  day. 

In  the  true  Rays,  or  Raidse,  the  fore-part  of  the  body  is  flattened 
and  formed  into  a  disc-like  shape  by  the  conjunction  of  the  breast-fins 
with  the  iuout. 

Our  first  example  of  tl^e  Rays  is  the  Torpedo,  a  fish  long  celebrated 
for  its  power  of  emitting  at  will  electrical  shocks  of  considerable 
intensity.  In  consequence  of  this  property  it  is  sometimes  called 
the  Cramp-fish,  Cramp  Ray,  Electric  Ray,  or  Numb-fish. 

The  object  of  this  strange  power  seems  to  be  twofold — namely,  to  de- 
feud  itself  from  the  attacks  of  foes,  and  to  benumb  the  swift  and  active 
•  »  fish  on  which  it 

feeds,  and  which 
its  slow  move- 
ments would  not 
permit  it  to  catch 
in  fair  chase.  It 
does  not  always 
deliver  the  elec- 
tric shock  when 
touched,  though 
it  is  generally 
rather  prodigal 
of  exercising  its 
potent  though  in- 
visible arms,  but 


The  Eyed  Torpedo  {Torpedo  oculata). 


will  allow  itself  to  be  touched,  and  even  handled,  without  inflicting  a 
shock.  But  if  the  creature  be  continually  annoyed,  the  shock  is  sure 
to  come  at  last,  and  in  such  cases  with  double  violence.  It  has  been 
observed,  moreover,  that  the  fish  depresses  its  eyes  just  before  giving 
its  shock. 

That  the  stroke  of  the  Torpedo  is  veritable  electricity  is  a  fact  which 
was  once  much  disputed,  but  is  now  conclusively  proved  by  a  host  of 
experiments.  Needles  have  been  magnetized  by  it  just  as  if  the  shock 
had  been  that  of  a  galvanic  battery  ;  the  electrometer  showed  decided 
proofs  of  the  nature  of  the  fluid  that  had  been  sent  through  it ;  and 
even  the  electric  spark  has  been  obtained  from  the  Torpedo— very 
small,  it  is  true,  but  still  recognizably  apparent.  It  is  rather  curious 
that  in  the  course  of  the  experiments  it  was  discovered  that  the  upper 
surface  of  the  Torpedo  corresponded  with  the  copper  plate  of  a  battery, 
and  the  lower  surface  with  the  zinc  plate. 

The  structure  of  the  electrical  organ  is  far  too  complex  to  be  fully 
described  in  this  woik,  as  it  would  require  at  least  forty  or  fifty  pages 


THE  THORNBACK  SKATE. 


539 


and  a  large  number  of  illustrations.  Any  of  my  readers  who  would 
like  to  examine  it  in  detail  will  find  ample  information  in  an  article 
on  the  subject  by  Dr.  Coldstream,  in  the  Cydopcedia  of  Anatomy  and 
Physiology,  and  from  a  valuable  series  of  wax  models  in  the  museum 
of  the  College  of  Surgeons. 

This  fish  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Indian  and  Pacific 
Oceans,  and  occasionally  off  the  Cape,  and  has  now  and  then  been  cap- 
tured on  our  coasts.  Happily,  the  Torpedo  does  not  attain  a  very  great 
size,  one  of  the  largest  specimens  being  about  four  feet  long,  and  weigh- 
ing sixty  or  seventy  pounds. 

The  Rays  are  well  represented  in  England  by  several  large  and 
curious  species.'     One  of  the  commonest  examples  is  the  Thornback 


The  Thornback  Skate  {Raia  clavata). 

Skate,  or  Ray,  so  called  from  the  large  number  of  thorny  projections 
which  are  scattered  over  its  back,  and  especially  along  the  spine. 

The  Thornback  is  one  of  our  common  Rays,  and  is  taken  plentifully 
on  the  shores  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  As  is  the  case  with 
many  of  the  same  genus,  the  flesh  is  considered  rather  good,  and  is 
eaten  both  when  fresh  and  when  salted  for  consumption  during  stormy 


540  THE  COMMON  SKATE. 

weather.  Autumn  and  winter  are  the  best  seasons  for  procuring  this 
fish,  as  the  flesh  is  then  firm  and  white,  while  during  the  rest  of  the 
year  it  is  rather  liable  to  become  flabby.  Thornbacks  taken  in  No- 
vember are  thought  to  be  the  best. 

This  species,  like  the  rest  of  the  Rays,  feeds  on  Crustacea,  flat-fish, 
and  molluscs;  and,  as  many  of  these  creatures  possess  very  hard  shells, 
the  Rays  are  furnished  with  a  crushing-mill  of  teeth,  which  roll  on  each 
other  in  such  a  way  that  even  the  stony  shell  of  a  crab  is  broken  up 
under  the  pressure. 

The  young  of  this  and  other  Skates  are  produced  from  eggs,  whose 
form  is  familiar  to  every  visitor  to  the  seashore,  where  they  go  by  the 
popular  name  of  Skate-barrows.  Their  color  is  black,  their  texture 
leathery,  thin,  and  tough,  and  their  form  wonderfully  like  a  common 
hand-barrow,  the  body  of  the  barrow  being  represented  by  the  middle 
of  the  egg,  and  the  handles  by  the  four  projections  at  the  angles.  The 
empty  cases  are  continually  thrown  on  the  beach,  but  it  is  seldom  that 
the  young  are  found  enclosed,  except  after  a  violent  storm  or  when  ob- 
tained by  means  of  the  dredge. 

This  species  is  notable  for  certain  thorny  appendages  to  the  skin, 
which  are  profusely  sown  over  the  back  and  whole  upper  surface, 
and  among  which  stand  out  conspicuously  a  few  very  large  tubercu- 
lar spines  with  broad,  oval,  bony  bases  and  curved,  sharp-pointed 
projections.  Fifteen  or  sixteen  of  these  bony  thorns  are  found  on 
the  back.  Along  the  spine  runs  a  single  row  of  similar  spines,,  and 
at  the  commencement  of  the  tail  it  is  accompanied  by  another  row  on 
either  side,  making  that  member  a  very  formidable  instrument  of  of- 
fence. In  point  of  fact,  the  tail  is  as  formidable  a  weapon  as  can  be 
met  with,  and  the  manner  in  which  this  living  quarter-staff"  is  wielded 
adds  in  no  slight  degree  to  its  power.  When  angered  the  Skate  bends 
its  body  into  a  bow-like  form,  so  that  the  tail  nearly  touches  the  snout, 
and  then,  with  a  sudden  fling,  lashes  out  with  the  tail  in  the  direction 
of  the  offender,  never  failing  to  inflict  a  most  painful  stroke  if  the  blow- 
should  happen  to  take  eflfect. 

The  color  of  the  Thornback  Skate  is  brown,  diversified  with  many 
spots  of  brownish  gray,  and  the  under  parts  are  pure  white. 

The  Common  Skate,  sometimes  called  the  Tinker,  is  so  well  known 
that  only  a  very  short  description  is  needed. 

This  fish  is  found  on  all  our  coasts  in  great  plenty,  and  sometimes 
attains  to  a  really  large  size,  a  fine  specimen  having  been  known  to 
weigh  two  hundred  pounds.  The  fishermen  have  a  custom  of  calling 
the  female  Skate  a  Maid,  and  the  male,  in  consequence  of  the  two  elon- 
gated appendages  at  the  base  of  the  tail,  is  called  the  Three-tailed  Skate. 
It  IS  a  very  voracious  creature,  eating  various  kinds  of  fish,  crustaceans, 
and  other  inhabitants  of  the  deep. 


THE  THREE-SPINED  STICKLEBACK.  541 

We  now  arrive  at  the  vast  order  of  the  Spine-finned  Fishes  known 
scientifically  as  the  Acanthopterygii.  In  all  these  fishes  the  skel- 
eton is  entirely  bony,  and  part  of  the  rays  of  the  dorsal,  anal,  and  ven- 
tral fins  is  formed  into  spines,  in  some  species  very  short,  and  in  others 
of  extraordinary  length. 

The  first  family  is  well  represented  in  England  by  many  pretty  and 
interesting  species. 

The  Three-spined  Stickleback  is  one  of  our  commonest  British 
fishes,  and  is  known  in  different  parts  of  England  under  the  names 
of  Tittlebat,  Prickle-fish,  and  Sharplin.  It  is  a  most  bold  and 
lively  little  fish,  hardly  knowing  fear,  pugnacious  to  an  absurd  degree, 
and  remarkably  interesting  in  its  habits.  Even  more  voracious  than 
the  perch,  it  renders  great  service  to  mankind  by  keeping  within  due 
bounds  the  many  aquatic  and  terrestrial  insects  which,  although  per- 
forming their  indispensable  duties  in  the  world,  are  so  extremely  pro- 
lific that  they  would  render  the  country  uninhabitable  were  they  allowed 
to  increase  without  some  check. 

Should  the  reader  be  disposed  to  place  specimens  in  an  aquarium,  he 
must  make  up  his  mind  that  they  will  fight  desperately  at  first,  and 
until  they  have  satisfactorily  settled  the  championship  of  the  tank 
their  intercourse  will  be  of  the  most  aggressive  character.  Never 
were  such  creatures  to  fight  as  the  Stickleback's,  for  they  will  even  go 
out  of  their  way  to  attack  anything  which  they  think  may  possibly 
oflTend  them,  and  they  have  no  more  hesitation  in  charging  at  a  human 
being  than  at  one  of  their  own  species.  I  have  known  one  of  these 
belligerent  fish  make  repeated  dashes  at  my  walking-stick,  knocking 
his  nose  so  hard  against  his  inanimate  antagonist  that  he  inflicted  a 
perceptible  jar  upon  it,  and,  in  spite  of  the  blows  which  his  nose  must 
have  suflTered,  returning  to  the  combat  time  after  time  with  undimin- 
ished spirit. 

These  combats  are,  however,  most  common  about  the  breeding  season, 
when  every  adult  Stickleback  challenges  every  other  of  his  own  sex, 
and  they  do  little  but  fight  from  morning  to  evening.  They  are  as 
jealous  as  they  are  courageous,  and  will  not  allow^  another  fish  to  pass 
within  a  certain  distance  of  their  home  without  darting  out  and  offering 
battle. 

Any  one  may  see  these  spirited  little  combats  by  quietly  watching 
the  inhabitants  of  a  clear  streamlet  on  a  summer  day.  The  two  an- 
tagonists dart  at  each  other  with  spears  in  rest,  snap  at  each  other's 
gills  or  head,  and  retain  their  grasp  with  the  tenacity  of  a  bull-dog. 
They  whirl  round  and  round  in  the  water,  they  drop,  feint,  attack, 
and  retreat,  with  astonishing  quickness,  until  one  confesses  itself  beaten 
and  makes  oflT  for  shelter,  the  conqueror  snapping  at  its  tail  and  inflict- 
ing a  parting  bite. 

46 


542  THE  COMMON  PERCH. 

Then  is  the  time  to  see  the  triumphant  little  creature  in  all  the  glory 
of  his  radiant  apparel,  for  with  his  conquest  he  assumes  the  victor's 
crown  ;  his  back  glows  with  shining  green,  his  sides  and  head  are 
glorious  with  gold  and  scarlet,  and  his  belly  is  silvery  white.  ^  It  is  a 
little  creature,  certainly,  but  even  among  the  brilliant  inhabitants  of 
the  southern  seas  a  more  gorgeously-colored  fish  can  hardly  be  found. 
If  the  conqueror  Stickleback  could  only  be  enlarged  to  the  size  of  a 
full-grown  perch  or  roach,  it  would  excite  the  greatest  admiration.  It 
is  curious  that  the  vanquished  antagonist  loses  in  brilliance  as  much 
as  the  conqueror  has  gained ;  he  sneaks  off  ignominiously  after  his 
defeat,  and  hides  himself,  dull  and  sombre,  until  the  time  comes  when 
he  too  may  conquer  in  fight  and  proudly  wear  the  gold-and -scarlet 
insignia  of  victory. 

These  struggles  are  not  only  for  mastery,  but  are  in  so  far  praise- 
worthy that  they  are  waged  in  defence  of  home  and  family. 

The  Stickleback  is  one  of  the  very  few  fish  who  build  houses  for  their 
young  as  a  defence  against  the  many  foes  which  are  ever  lying  in  wait 
for  the  destruction  of  the  eggs  or  the  newly-hatched  young.  These 
nests  are  built  of  various  vegetable  substances,  fastened  together  with 
a  kind  of  slime  that  exudes  from  the  body  of  the  male.  The  Fifteen- 
spined  Stickleback,  a  marine  species,  also  makes  a  nest,  though  hardly 
of  so  careful  a  construction. 

The  Three-spined  Stickleback  is  very  fond  of  inhabiting  the  mouths 
of  rivers  where  they  empty  themselves  into  the  sea,  the  brackish  water 
appearing  to  suit  its  constitution.  It  can  therefore  be  easily  accli- 
matized to  new  conditions,  and  a  specimen  that  has  been  taken  from  an 
inland  stream  can  soon  be  brought  to  inhabit  the  water  of  a  marine 
aquarium,  though  such  water  is  usually,  in  consequence  of  evaporation, 
more  salt  than  that  of  the  sea. 

We  now  come  to  the  large  and  important  family  of  the  Perches, 
which  comprises  many  of  the  handsomest  and  most  valuable  fishes. 
The  members  of  this  family  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  globe. 

The  Common  Perch  is  well  known  as  one  of  our  handsomest  river 
fish,  and,  on  account  of  its  boldness  and  the  voracious  manner  in  which 
it  takes  the  bait,  and  the  active  strength  with  which  it  struggles  against 
its  captor,  is  a  great  favorite  with  many  anglers.  Moreover,  when 
captured  and  placed  in  an  aquarium,  it  very  soon  learns  to  distinguish 
the  hand  that  feeds  it,  and  will  come  to  the  surface  and  take  food  from 
the  fingers.  It  has  a  fashion  of  seizing  its  food  with  a  rather  sharp 
jerk,  and  then  snatches  it  away  with  such  violence  that  when  it  takes 
the  hook  it  will  drag  a  stout  cork-float  several  inches  below  the  surface, 
and  by  the  force  of  its  own  stroke  will  mostly  hook  itself  without  any 
exertion  on  the  part  of  the  angler.  Bold-biting,  however,  as  is  its 
reputation,  there  are  some  seasons  of  the  year  when  it  is  almost  im- 


THE  PEKCH. 


543 


possible  to  catch  a  Perch,  and  even  the  shy  and  gently-nibbling  roach 
is  an  easier  prey. 

The  Perch  is  truly  a  voracious  fish,  feeding  upon  all  kinds  of  aquatic 
worms,  insects,  and  fishes,  preferring  the  latter  diet  as  it  becomes  older 
and  larger.     The  smaller  fish,  such  as  minnows,  young  roach,  dace. 


The  Yellow-barred  Perch  [Perca  fluvescens) . 

and  gudgeons,  are  terribly  persecuted  by  the  Perch,  and  a  bait  formed 
of  either  of  these  fishes,  or  a  good  imitation  of  them,  will  generally 
allure  the  finest  Perches  to  the  hook.  Although  generally  inhabiting 
mid  or  deep  water,  it  will  sometimes  come  to  the  surface  to  snap  up  a 
casual  fly  that  has  fallen  into  the  water,  and  on  several  occasions  has 
been  captured  by  anglers  when  fishing  with  a  fly  for  trout. 


Crappie,  Sac-a-Lai  or  Chinkapin  Perch  {Pomoxis  hexacanthus). 

Practical  fishermen  say  that  the  Perch  is  almost  the  only  fish  which 
the  pike  does  not  venture  to  attack,  and  that  if  a  pike  makes  one  of 
its  rushing  onslaughts  on  a  Perch,  the  intended  prey  boldly  faces  the 
enemy,  erects  the  dorsal  fin  with  its  array  of  formidable  spines,  and 


544  THE  BLACK  BASS. 

thus  baffles  the  ever-hungry  aggressor.  Still,  it  is  an  article  of  faith 
with  some  anglers  that  a  young  Perch  from  which  the  dorsal  fin  has 
been  removed  is  one  of  the  surest  baits  for  pike.  Perhaps  they  think 
that  the  pike  is  so  delighted  to  find  a  Perch  unarmed  that  it  seizes  the 
opportunity  to  feed  upon  a  luxury  which  it  can  seldom  obtain. 

The  Perch  is  not  a  large  fish,  from  two  to  three  pounds  being  con- 
sidered rather  a  heavy  weight.  Individuals,  however,  of  much  greater 
dimensions  have  been,  though  rarely,  captured.  One  of  the  finest 
Perches  ever  taken  in  England  was  captured  in  the  river  Avon,  in 
Wiltshire,  by  a  night-line  baited  with  a  roach ;  its  weight  was  eight 
pounds.  Specimens  of  five  or  six  pounds  are  occasionally  taken,  but 
are  thought  so  valuable  that  the  captor  generally  sends  the  account  of 
his  success  to  some  journal. 

The  color  of  the  Perch  is  rich  greenish  brown  above,  passing  grad- 
ually into  golden  white  below.  Upon  the  sides  is  a  row  of  dark  trans- 
verse bands,  generally  from  five  to  seven  in  number.  The  first  dorsal 
fin  is  brown,  with  a  little  black  between  two  or  three  of  the  first  and 
last  rays ;  the  second  dorsal  and  the  pectoral  are  pale  brow^n,  and  the 
tail  and  other  fins  are  bright  red.  » 

The  well-known  Black  Bass  of  America  inhabits  the  rivers  and  lakes 
of  North  America. 

This  fine  fish  is  a  really  valuable  species,  on  account  of  its  large 
dimensions  and  the  excellence  of  its  flesh.       It  is  very  hardy,  and 


The  Black  Bass  (Grystes  nigncans). 

can  be  taken  from  one  locality  to  another  if  placed  in  a  tub  of  water 
covered  with  a  wet  canvas. 

It  is  a  marvellously  bold-biting  fish,  and  affords  good  sport  to  all 
anglers,  whether  they  fish  only  for  the  sake  of  amusement,  using  a 
fly  or  other  delicate  bait,  or  whether  they  seek  to  take  their  prey  as 
a  matter  of  business  and  employ  small  fish  as  a  bait,  or  the  obstruc- 
tive «' spoon,"  whose  treacherous  glitter  the  Black  Bass  is  seldom  able 
to  withstand.  It  is  an  active  and  powerful  fish,  and  when  hooked 
struggles  so  long  and  so  fiercely  that  it  tests  all  the  angler's  skill 
before  it  can  be  safely  landed 


THE  OREOSOMA  AND  THE  CH^TODONTINA.  545 

The  color  of  the  Black  Bass  is  brown,  washed  with  golden  green,  and 
mottled  with  dark  spots  on  the  centre  of  each  scale,  darker  on  the  back, 
and  becoming  nearly  white  on  the  abdomen.  When  newly  caught  the 
body  is  traversed  with  several  dark  bauds.  It  is  a  very  fine  fish,  speci- 
mens having  been  known  to  weigh  nearly  twenty  pounds. 

Passing  by  many  large  genera,  which  cannot  be  noticed  for  lack  of 
space,  we  come  to  a  very  odd-looking  fish,  called  perforce,  for  want  of 
a  popular  title,  the  Oreosoma,  a  name  formed  from  two  Greek  words, 
literally  signifying  ''  hilly-bodied  ;"  and  the  title  is  very  appropriate. 

This  remarkable  little  fish  was  captured  in  the  Atlantic  by  Peron, 
and  has  ever  been  esteemed  as  one  of  the  curiosities  of  the  animal  king- 
dom. Upon  the  body  there  are  no  true  scales,  but  their  place  is  sup- 
plied by  a  number  of  bony  or  horny  protuberances,  of  a  conical  shape, 
and  serving  no  ascertained  purpose.  These  cones  may  be  divided  into 
two  distinct  sets,  the  larger  set  being  arranged  in  two  ranks,  four  on  the 
back  and  ten  on  the  abdomen,  and  among  them  are  placed  the  smaller 
set.  The  body  of  this  fish  is  very  deep  in  proportion  to  its  length,  and 
the  operculum  has  two  ridges,  terminating  in  flattened  angles.  There 
are  two  dorsal  fins,  the  first  armed  with  five  spin3s. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  large  family,  containing  a  series  of  fishes  re- 
markable for  their  extraordinary  shape,  their  bold  and  eccentric  color- 
ing, and  their  curious  habits.  In  Dr.  Giinther's  elaborat  3  arrangement 
of  the  Acanthopterygian  fishes  this  family  is  called  by  the  name  of  Squa- 
mipeunes,  or  "scaly-finned  fishes,"  because  "the  vertical  fins  are  more 
or  less  densely  covered  with  small  scales,"  the  spinous  portions  sometimes 
not  scaly.  They  are  nearly  all  carnivorous  fishes,  and  for  the  most 
part  are  exclusively  inhabitants  of  the  tropical  seas  or  rivers.  Their 
bodies  are  very  much  compressed  and  extremely  deep  in  proportion  to 
their  length,  and  the  mouth  is  usually  small  and  placed  in  front  of  the 
snout. 

The  first  group  of  this  family — or  sub-family,  as  it  might  be  called — 
is  termed  Chsetodontina,  from  the  large  typical  genus  of  the  group. 
Their  mouths  are  small,  and  furnished  with  several  rows  of  very  tiny, 
slender,  and  bristle-like  teeth — a  peculiarity  of  structure  that  has 
gained  for  them  their  scientific  name  Chsetodontina,  a  term  composed 
of  two  Greek  words,  the  former  signifying  "  hair,"  and  the  latter  "  a 
tooth."  The  colors  of  the  species  belonging  to  this  group  are  brilliant 
in  tint,  and  are  generally  arranged  in  bold  stripes  or  spots.  Black 
and  yellow  are  the  prevailing  hues,  but  blue  and  green  are  found  in 
some  species. 

The  figure  given  on  page  546  represents  a  most  remarkable  species, 
called,  from  the  form  of  its  mouth,  the  Beaked  Ch^etodon. 

The  curiously-elongated  muzzle  is  employed  by  this  fish  in  a  rather 
unexpected  manner,  being  used  as  a  gun  or  bow,  a  drop  of  water  tak- 

46*  2  K 


546 


THE  BEAKED  CH^TODON. 


ing  the  place  of  the  arrow  or  bullet.  Perhaps  the  closest  analogy  is 
with  the  celebrated  "sumpitan,"  or  blow-gun,  of  the  Macoushi  Indians, 
a  tube  through  which  an  arrow  is  driven  by  the  force  of  the  breath. 
The  Beaked  Ch?etodou  feeds  largely  on  flies  and  other  insects,  but  is 
not  forced  to  depend,  as  is  the  case  with  nearly  every  other  fish,  on  the 
accidental  fall  of  its  prey  into  the  water.  If  it  sees  a  fly  or  other  in- 
sect resting  on  a  twig  or  grass-blade  that  overhangs  the  water,  the 
Chietodon  approaches  very  quietly,  the  greater  part  of  its  body  sub- 
merged, and  its  nose  just  showing  itself  above  the  surface,  the  point 
directed  toward  the  victim.  Suddenly  it  shoots  a  drop  of  water  at  the 
fly  with  such  accuracy  of  aim  that  the  unsuspecting  insect  is  knocked 


The  Beaked  Ch^todon  {Chebm  rostratus). 

off"  its  perch,  and  is  snapped  up  by  the  fish  as  soon  as  it  touches  the  sur- 
face of  the  water. 

This  habit  it  continues  even  in  captivity,  and  is  in  consequence  in 
great  estimation  as  a  household  pet  by  the  Japanese.  They  keep  the 
fish  in  a  large  bowl  of  water,  and  amuse  themselves  by  holding  toward 
It  a  fly  upon  the  end  of  a  slender  rod,  and  seeing  the  finny  archer  strike 
its  prey  into  the  water.  Another  fish,  called  the  "Archer,"'  inhabiting 
the  East  Indian  and  Polynesian  seas,  possesses  the  same  facultv,  but  is 
not  so  remarkable  for  its  eccentric  form  and  the  bold  beauty  of  Us  tints. 

The  Beaked  Ch?etodon  inhabits  the  Indian  and  Polynesian  seas,  and 
has  been  taken  off"  the  west  coast  of  Australia,  where  it  is  usually  found 
in  or  near  the  mouths  of  rivers.  Over  the  head  and  body  of  this  species 
are  drawn  five  brownish  cross-bands  edged  with  darker  brown  and  white, 
and  m  the  middle  of  the  soft  dorsal  fin  there  is  a  rather  large  circular 
black  spot  edged  with  white. 


THE  BULL-HEAD.  547 

The  large  and  important  family  of  the  Triglidse,  or  Gurnards,  is 
represented  by  several  British  fishes.  This  family  contains  a  great 
number  of  species,  many  of  which  are  most  remarkable,  not  only  for 
their  beautiful  colors,  which  alone  are  sufficient  to  attract  attention,  but 
also  for  the  strange  and  weird  shape  and  large  development  of  the  fins. 
They  are  carnivorous  fish,  mostly  inhabiting  the  seas,  a  very  few  spe- 
cies being  able  to  exist  in  fresh  water.  They  are  not  swift  or  strong 
swimmers,  and  therefore  remain  for  the  most  part  in  deep  water.  Some, 
however,  are  able  by  means  of  their  largely-developed  pectoral  fins  to 
raise  themselves  into  the  air,  and  for  a  brief  space  to  sustain  themselves 
in  the  thinner  element.  The  mouth  is  mostly  large,  and  in  some  cases 
the  gape  is  so  wide  and  the  head  and  jaws  so  Strangely  shaped  that  the 
general  aspect  is  most  repulsive. 

We  now  come  to  a  very  familiar  and  not  very  prepossessing  fish,  the 
well-known  Bull-head  or  Miller's  Thumb,  sometimes  called  by  the 
name  of  Tommy  Logge. 

This  large-headed  and  odd-looking  fish  is  very  common  in  our  brooks 
and  streams,  where  it  is  generally  found  under  loose  stones,  and  aflTords 
great  sport  to  the  juvenile  fisherman.  In  my  younger  days  the  chase 
of  the  Bull-head  was  rather  an  exciting  one,  and  was^arried  out  with- 
out hook  or  line,  or  indeed  any  aid  but  the  hands.  Tliis  fish  has  a 
habit  of  hiding  itself  under  loose  stones,  and  on  account  of  its  flat 
though  wide  head  is  enabled  to  push  itself  into  crevices  which  are  ap- 
parently much  too  small  to  cont  lin  it. 

The  name  of  Miller's  Thumb  is  derived  from  the  peculiarly  wide 
and  flattened  head,  which  is  thought  to  bear  some  resemblance  to  the 
object  whence  its  name  is  taken.  A  miller,  judges  of  the  quality  of  the 
meal  by  rubbing  it  with  his  thumb  over  his  fingers  as  it  is  shot  from 
the  spout,  and  by  the  continual  use  of  this  custom  the  thumb  becomes 
gradually  widened  and  flattened  at  its  extremity.  The  name  of  Bull- 
head also  alludes  to  the  same  width  and  flatness  of  the  skull. 

The  Bull-head  is  a  voracious  little  fish,  feeding  on  various  water  in- 
sects, worms,  larvse,  and  the  young  fry  of  other  fish.  It  is  a  represent- 
ative of  a  rather  large  genus,  comprising  about  twenty-six  or  twenty- 
seven  known  species,  which  are  spread  over  all  the  northern  and  tem- 
perate parts  of  the  world.  In  Russia  the  Bull-head  is  believed  by  the 
general  public  to  possess  the  same  quality  as  is  attributed  to  the  king- 
fisher by  our  own  rustic  population,  and  to  indicate  the  direction  of 
the  wind  by  always  keeping  its  head  turned  to  windward  when  it  is 
dried  and  suspended  horizontally  by  a  thread. 

The  mouth  of  this  little  fish  is  very  wide,  and  contains  numerous 
minute  teeth.  There  is  one  spine  on  the  prseoperculum,  and  the  oper- 
culum ends  in  a  flattened  point.  The  general  color  of  the  smooth  skin 
is  very  dark  brown  on  the  back,  white  on  the  abdomen,  and  grayish 


548 


THE  RED   AND  THE  FLYING  GURNARD. 


white  on  the  flanks.  The  rays  of  the  fins  are  spotted  with  dark  black- 
ish brown  and  white,  rather  variable  in  different  individuals,  and  the 
fins  are  marked  with  dark-brown  dots.  The  eyes  are  yellow,  and  the 
pupil  very  dark  blue.  It  is  but  a  small  fish,  averaging  four,  and  sel- 
dom exceeding  five,  inches  in  length. 

We  now  come  to  the  typical  genus  of  this  family,  which  is  repre- 
sented by  several  well-known  British  species. 

The  Red  Gurnard — or  Cuckoo  Gurnard,  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
from  the  sound  it  utters  when  taken  out  of  the  water — is  very  common 


The  Red  Gurnard  {Trigla  cuculus). 

on  the  English  coast.  It  is  rather  a  small  fish,  rarely  exceeding  four- 
teen inches  in  length.  The  colors  of  its  body  when  living  are  very 
beautiful,  the  upper  part  being  bright  red,  and  the  under  parts  silvery 
white. 

There  are  nine  species  of  Gurnard  known  to  frequent  the  coasts  of 
Kngland,  some,  as  the  Sapphirine  and  the  Mailed  Gurnards,  being 
most  extraordinary  in  form. 

The  Flying  Gurnard  is  common  in  the  Indian  seas.  Its  pectoral 
tins  are  so  much  enlarged  that  when  it  springs  out  of  the  water,  when 


THE  MACKEREL. 


549 


pursued  by  the  dolphin  or  bonito,  the  wide  quivering  jfins  are  able  to 
sustain  it  in  the  air  for  a  limited  period. 

This  fish  has  often  been  confounded  by  voyagers  with  the  true  flying 
fish  (Exoccetus),  which  belongs  to  an  entirely  different  order. 

The  important  though  not  very   large  family  of  the  Scomberidse 

contains  many 
species  that  are 
almost  invalu- 
able as  food,  and 
others  that  are 
beautiful  in  form 
and  interesting  in 
habits. 

Our  first  ex- 
ample of  these 
fishes  is  the 
Mackerel,  so 
well  known  for 
the  exceeding 
beauty  of  its 
colors  and  the 
peculiar  flavor 
of  its  flesh. 
This    is    one   of 

the  species  that  are  forced  by  the  irresistible  impulse  of  instinct  to 
migrate  in  vast  shoals  at  certain  times  of  the  year,  directing  their 
course  toward  the  shores,  and  as  a  general  rule  frequenting  the  same 
or  neighboring  localities  from  year  to  year. 

This  fish  is  taken  both  by  nets  and  lines,  the  nets  being  of  two  kinds, 
one  called  the  drift-net,  and  the  other  the  seine.  The  drift-net  is,  as  its 
name  implies,  allowed  to  be  drifted  out  with  the  tide,  and  is  suspended 
along  a  cord  called  the  drift-rope.  The  whole  length  of  one  of  these 
nets  when  shot  is  sometimes  a  mile  and  a  half,  these  enormous  dimen- 
sions being  attained  by  attaching  a  number  of  nets  together  at  the  ends. 
Each  of  these  nets  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long  and  twenty  feet 
deep,  and  along  the  upper  edge  is  fastened  a  series  of  cork  floats.  When 
the  net  is  to  be  shot  a  large  buoy  is  attached  to  the  end  of  the  drift- 
rope,  the  buoy  is  thrown  overboard,  and  the  sails  set.  As  the  boat 
dashes  away  from  the  spot,  the  nets,  which  have  already  been  attached 
to  the  drift-rope,  are  thrown  successively  overboard,  until  all  the  nets 
are  paid  out  and  hang  in  the  water  like  a  net  wall.  The  strain  of  the 
buoy  at  one  end  of  the  drift-rope  and  the  boat  at  the  other  keeps  the 
rope  straight  and  the  net  upright. 

As  the  Mackerel  come  swimming  along  they  are  arrested  by  the  net, 


The  Flying  Gurnard  {Daclylopterus  volitans). 


550 


THE  MACKEREL. 


which  they  cannot  see,  on  account  of  the  thin  twine  of  which  it  is  made, 
and  the  large  meshes,  which  are  about  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diam- 
eter. The  head  slips  through  the  meshes,  but  the  middle  of  the  body 
is  too  large  and  cannot  pass.  When  the  fish  attempts  to  recede,  the 
open  gill-covers  become  hitched  in  the  meshes,  and  so  retain  it  in  that 
uncomfortable  position  until  the  net  is  hauled  in. 

This  is  a  delicate  and  difficult  operation,  especially  when  the  take 
of  fish  is  heavy.  Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  that  in  June,  1808,  the  nets 
were  so  heavily  loaded  that  the  fishermen  could  not  haul  them  in,  or 
even  keep  them  afloat,  so  that  they  were  forced  to  cut  the  drift-ropes 
and  let  the  nets  sink  and  be  lost.  The  nets  on  this  occasion  were  worth 
nearly  sixty  pounds,  not  including  the  value  of  the  fish. 

In  the  seine-net  the  fish  are  taken  by  surrounding  the  shoal  with 
the  net,  which  is  made  with  very  small   meshes,  and   either  gently 

-^^g^gs^^  —  —  _  hauled  to  the  sur- 

]  face,  so  that  the 
'  enclosed  fish  can 
be  dipped  out, 
or  even  drawn 
ashore  and  then 
emptied. 

Fishing  for 
Mackerel  with  a 
line  is  also  a 
profitable  mode 
of  taking  these 
,  fish,        although 

they  cannot  be  caught  in  such  multitudes  as  with  the  net.  The 
Mackerel  is  a  very  voracious  fish,  and  will  bite  at  almost  any  glit- 
tering substance  drawn  quickly  through  the  water,  a  strip  of  scarlet 
cloth  being  a  very  favorite  bait.  A  tapering  strip  of  flesh  cut  from 
the  side  of  a  Mackerel  is  found  to  be  the  most  successful  of  any  bait 
and  the  method  of  angling  is  simply  to  pass  the  hook  through  the 
thicker  end  of  the  strip-technically  called  a  "  lask  "-and  to  throw  it 
overboard  from  a  boat  in  full  sail,  so  that  it  is  towed  along  without 
trouble.  The  hook  is  kept  below  the  surface  of  the  water  by  means 
ot  a  leaden  plummet  fixed  to  the  line  a  short  distance  above  the  hook, 
and  the  mackerel,  on  seizing  the  flying  bait,  is  immediately  caught. 
^>L , llT     I'  t'^'  ''^f  '^'  '^^  ''  °^^  ^««  b^^ght  and  the  wind  is 

^:^ui^:::z:^^'  ^^^^  ^^^  '^'^ ''-  '^^  - '-'  -  *^^^  -^ 

wiScen'hlf  '^l  f^""'^'"'}  ''  '''^  g^^^^  "P^»  '^'  back,  variegated 
males  but  in.  Tr  '''^''f\^^'^  cross-bands  of  black,  straight  in  the 
males,  but  undulating  m  the  females.     The  abdomen  and  sides  are  sil- 


The  Mackerel  {Scomber  scomber). 


THE  TUNNY.  551 

very  white,  with  golden  reflections.  These  colors  are  most  brilliant 
during  the  life  of  the  fish,  and,  as  they  fade  soon  after  it  has  left  the 
water,  their  brilliancy  affords  a  good  test  of  its  freshness. 

The  celebrated  Tunny  belongs  to  this  family,  and  is  closely  allied 
to  the  Mackerel, 

This  magnificent  and  most  important  fish  does  not  visit  our  coasts  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  be  of  any  commercial  importance,  but  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  where  it  is  found  in  very  great  abun- 
dance, it  forms  one  of  the  chief  sources  of  wealth  of  the  seaside  pop- 
ulation. 

In  May  and  June  the  Tunnies  move  in  vast  shoals  along  the  shores, 
seeking  for  suitable  spots  wherein  to  deposit  their  spawn.  As  soon  as 
they  are  seen  on  the  move  notice  is  given  by  a  sentinel  who  is  constant- 
ly watching  from  some  lofty  eminence,  and  the  whole  population  is  at 
once  astir,  preparing  nets  for  the  capture  and  salt  and  tubs  for  the 
curing  of  the  expected  fish.  There  are  two  modes  of  catching  the 
Tunny — one  by  the  seine-net  and  the  other  by  the  "  madrague."  The 
mode  of  using  the  seine  is  identical  with  that  which  has  already  been 
described  when  treating  of  the  mackerel,  but  the  madrague  is  much 
more  complicated  in  its  structure  and  management.  The  principle  of 
the  madrague  is  precisely  the  same  as  that  of  the  "  corral "  by  which 
elephants  are  entrapped  in  Ceylon. 

A  vast  enclosure  of  united  nets,  nearly  a  mile  in  length  and  divided 
into  several  chambers,  is  so  arranged  that  as  the  Tunnies  pass  along 
the  coast  they  are  intercepted  by  a  barrier,  and  on  endeavoring  to  re- 
treat are  forced  to  enter  one  of  the  chambers.  When  a  number  of 
Tunnies  have  fairly  entered  the  net,  they  are  driven  from  one  chamber 
to  another,  until  they  are  forced  into  the  last  and  smallest,  called  sig- 
nificantly "  the  chamber  of  death."  This  chamber  is  furnished  with  a 
floor  of  net,  to  which  are  attached  a  series  of  ropes,  so  that  by  hauling 
in  the  ropes  the  floor  of  the  net  is  drawn  up  and  the  fish  brought  to 
the  surface.  The  large  and  powerful  fish  struggle  fiercely  for  liberty, 
but  are  speedily  stunned  by  blows  from  long  poles  and  lifted  into  the 
boats.  The  flesh  of  the  Tunny  is  eaten  both  fresh  and  salted.  It  is 
most  extensively  used,  being  pickled  in  various  ways,  boiled  down  into 
excellent  soup,  and  is  also  made  into  pies,  which  are  thought  to  be  very 
excellent,  and  possess  the  valuable  property  of  remaining  good  for 
nearly  two  months.  The  different  parts  of  the  fish  are  called  by  ap- 
propriate names,  and  are  said  to  resemble  beef,  veal,  and  pork.  The 
food  of  the  Tunny  consists  mostly  of  smaller  fish,  such  as  herrings  and 
pilchards,  and  the  cuttle-fish  also  forms  some  portion  of  its  diet. 

In  general  shape  the  Tunny  is  not  very  unlike  the  mackerel,  but  in 
size  it  is  vastly  superior,  generally  averaging  four  feet  in  length,  and 
sometimes  attaining  the  dimensions  of  six  or  seven  feet.     The  color  of 


552 


THE  SUCKING  FISH. 


the  upper  part  of  the  body  is  very  dark  blue,  and  the  abdomen  is 
white  decorated  with  spots  of  a  silvery  lustre.  The  sides  of  the  head 
-are  white. 

Every  one  has  heard  of  the  Sucking  Fish,  and  there  are  few  who 
are  not  acquainted  with  the  wild  and  fabulous  tales  narrated  of  its 
powers. 

This  little  fish  was  reported  to  adhere  to  the  bottom  of  ships,  and  to 
arrest  their  progress  as  suddenly  and  firmly  as  if  they  had  struck  upon 
a  rock.  The  winds  might  blow,  the  sails  might  fill,  and  the  masts  creak, 
but  the  unseen  fish  below  could  hold  the  vessel  by  its  single  force,  and 
confine  her  to  the  same  spot  as  if  at  anchor.  It  is  wonderful  how  fully 
tliis  fable  was  received,  and  how  many,  years  were  needed  to  root  the 

belief  out  of  pre- 
ju<Uced  minds. 
Both  scientific 
names  refer  to 
this  so-called 
property,  Ech- 
eneis  signifying 
*'  ship  -  holder," 
and  rem  or  a  mean- 
ing "delay." 

That  the  Suck- 
ing Fish  is  able 
to  adhere  strong- 
ly to  smooth  sur- 
faces is  a  well- 
known  fact,  the  process  being  accomplished  by  means  of  the  curious 
shield  or  disc  upon  the  upper  surface  of  the  head  and  shoulders,  the 
general  shape  of  which  can  be  understood  by  reference  to  the  en- 
graving. This  disc  is  composed  of  a' number  of  flat  bony  laminae, 
arranged  parallel  to  each  other  in  a  manner  resembling  the  common 
wooden  window-blind,  and  capable  of  being  raised  or  depressed  at  will. 
It  IS  found  ])y  anatomical  investigation  that  these  laminse  are  formed 
by  modifications  of  the  spinous  dorsal  fin,  the  number  of  laminae  cor- 
responding to  that  of  the  spines.  They  are  moved  by  a  series  of  muscles 
set  obliquely,  and  when  the  fish  presses  the  soft  edge  of  the  disc  against 
any  smooth  object  and  then  depresses  the  laminse,  a  vacuum  is  formed, 
causmg  the  fish  to  adhere  tightly  to  the  spot  upon  which  the  disc  is 
placed. 

When  the  creature  has  once  fixed  itself  it  cannot  be  detached  with- 
out niuch  difiiculty,  and  the  only  method  of  removing  it,  without  tear- 
mg  the  h(,dy  or  disc,  is  to  slide  it  forward  in  a  direction  corresponding 
\vith   the  set  of  the  laminse.     In  the  opposite  direction  it  cannot  be 


The  Suckinc4  Fish  [Fcheneis 


THE  JOHN   DORY.  553 

moved,  and  the  fish,  therefore,  when  adhering  to  a  moving  body,  takes 
care  to  fix  itself  in  such  a  manner  that  it  cannot  be  washed  off  by  the 
water  through  which  it  is  drawn.  Even  after  death,  or  when  the  disc 
is  separated  from  the  body,  this  curious  organ  can  be  applied  to  any 
smooth  object,  and  will  hold  with  tolerable  firmness.  In  order  to  ac- 
commodate the  disc,  the  upper  part  of  the  skull  is  flattened  and  rather 
widened. 

It  is  a  rather  voracious  fish,  and  takes  the  hook  eagerly  if  baited  with 
a  piece  of  raw  flesh.  When  hooked,  however,  it  is  by  no  means  secured, 
for  as  soon  as  it  feels  the  prick  of  the  sharp  point  and  the  pull  of  the 
line  it  darts  to  the  side  of  the  vessel,  dives  deeply  and  affixes  itself  so 
strongly  to  the  bottom  that  the  hook  may  be  torn  out  of  the  mouth  be- 
fore the  fish  will  relax  its  hold.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  draw  the 
Sucking  Fish  smartly  out  of  the  water  as  soon  as  it  is  fairly  hooked,  and 
in  this  manner  great  numbers  can  be  caught.  The  flesh  is  thought  to 
be  very  good,  and  is  said  to  resemble  that  of  the  eel,  but  without  its 
richness.  The  color  of  this  species  is  dusky  brown,  darker  on  the  back 
than  on  the  abdomen.  The  fins  are  darker  than  the  body,  and  are  of  a 
dense  leathery  consistence.  The  length  of  this  fish  seldom  exceeds  eight 
inches. 

The  well-known  John  Dory,  so  dear  to  epicures,  is  found  in  the 
British  seas,  and  is  frequently  seen  in  the  fishmongers'  shops,  where  its 
peculiar  shape  seldom  fails  of  attracting  attention  even  from  those  who 
are  not  likely  to  purchase  it  or  even  to  have  seen  it  on  the  table. 

The  name  of  John  Dory  is  thought  to  be  a  corruption  of  the  French 
n?ime  jaime  doree,  a  title  given  to  the  fish  on  account  of  the  gilded  yel- 
low which  decorates  its  body.  It  was  called  Zeus  by  the  ancients,  be- 
cause they  considered  it  to  be  the  king  of  eatable  fish,  and  the  name  of 
Faber,  or  "  blacksmith,"  has  probably  been  earned  by  the  smoky  tints 
which  cloud  its  back.  The  dark  and  conspicuous  spots  on  the  side  are 
thought  in  many  places  to  be  imprinted  upon  the  fish  as  a  memorial  of 
the  honor  conferred  upon  its  ancestor  in  times  past,  when  St.  Peter  took 
the  tribute-money  from  the  mouth  of  the  Dory,  and  left  the  print  of  his 
finger  and  thumb  as  a  perpetual  remembrance  of  the  event.  Some  per- 
sons, however,  contend  that  the  marks  are  due,  not  to  St.  Peter,  but  St. 
Christopher,  and  the  Greeks,  who  hold  to  the  latter  tradition,  call  the 
fish   Christophoron. 

The  flesh  of  the  Dory  is  remarkably  excellent,  and,  as  it  is  rathei 
improved  by  the  lapse  of  twenty-four  hours  after  the  fish  has  been 
taken  from  the  sea,  it  is  peculiarly  valuable  to  those  who  live  far  in- 
land and  cannot  hope  for  the  more  delicate  fishes,  which  must  be  eaten 
almost  as  soon  as  caught.  Although  a  common  fish,  it  always  commands 
a  high  price,  and  as,  when  cooked,  the  head  occupies  so  large  a  space, 
it  never  affords  an  economical  dish. 

47 


554  THE  SWOKD-FISH. 

The  shape  of  the  Dory  is  very  peculiar.  The  body  is  very  deep,  and 
greatly  compressed.  The  head  is  oddly  shaped,  and  the  mouth  can 
l)e  protruded  to  a  surprising  extent.  The  spines  of  the  first  dorsal  fin 
are  much  prolonged,  and  behind  each  ray  is  given  ofi"  a  very  long  wav- 
ing filament,  three  times  as  long  as  the  ray  in  front  of  it.  Along  the 
base  of  the  dorsal  and  anal  fins  are  arranged  two  rows  of  spiny  scales, 
their  points  being  directed  backward,  and  one  row  being  set  at  each 
side  of  the  fin. 

The  well-known  Sword-fish  derives  its  popular  name  from  the  curious 
development  of  the  snout,  which  projects  forward  ana  is 'greatly  pro- 


The  Swobd-fish  {Xiphias  gladius). 

longed  into  a  shape  somewhat  resembling  a  sword-blade.  The  sword 
is  formed  by  the  extension  of  certain  bones  belonging  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  head.  This  fine  fish  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea, 
and  also  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  in  the  former  locality  is  often  very 
plentiful.  The  Sicilian  fishermen  are  accustomed  to  pursue  the  Sword- 
Hsh  in  boats,  and  mostly  employ  the  harpoon  in  its  capture.  The 
weapon  is  not  very  heavy,  and  by  a  strong  and  practised  hand  can 
l)i,'  hurled  to  some  distance.  The  flesh  of  the  Sword-fish  is  always  eat- 
al)Ie  and  nourishing,  and  in  all  specimens  is  white  and  well  flavored. 

The  use  of  the  "  sword  "  is  not  clearly  ascertained.  In  all  probabil- 
ity, the  fish  employs  this  curious  weapon  in  gaining  its  subsistence,  but 
the  precise  mode  of  so  doing  is  not  known.  It  is  an  ascertained  fact 
that  the  Sword-fish  will  sometimes  attack  whales  and  stab  them  deeply 
with  its  sharp  beak,  and  it  is  also  known  that  this  fish  has  several  times 
driven  its  beak  so  deeply  into  a  ship  that  the  weapon  has  been  broken 
off  by  the  shock.  In  such  cases  the  blow  is  so  severe  that  the  sailors 
luive  fancied  that  their  vessel  has  struck  upon  a  rock.  Several  museums 
possess  examples  of  pierced  planks  and  beams,  but  it  is  possible  that 


THE  BLACK  GOBY.  555 

the  fish  may  have  struck  them  by  accident,  and  not  in  a  deliberate 
charge.     The  Sword-fish  generally  go  in  pairs. 

The  food  of  this  creature  is  rather  varied,  consisting  of  cuttle-fish, 
especially  the  squid,  and  of  small  fishes,  neither  of  which  animals  would 
in  any  way  fall  victims  to  the  sword.  It  certainly  has  been  said  that 
the  weapon  is  used  for  transfixing  the  flat  fish  as  they  lie  on  the  bed  of 
the  sea,  but  this  assertion  does  not  appear  to  be  worthy  of  credit. 

The  young  and  adult  specimens  are  very  different  from  each  other. 
In  the  young  the  body  is  covered  with  projecting  tubercles,  which 
gradually  disappear  as  it  increases  in  size,  and  when  it  has  attained 
the  length  of  three  feet  they  are  seldom  to  be  seen.  Those  on  the  abdo- 
men remain  longer  than  the  others.  The  dorsal  fin  extends  in  the  young 
specimens  from  the  back  of  the  head  to  the  root  of  the  tail,  but  the 
membranes  and  spines  of  its  centre  are  so  extremely  delicate  that  they 
are  soon  rubbed  away,  and  the  adult  specimen  then  appears  to  have 
two  dorsal  fins. 

The  color  of  the  Sword-fish  is  bluish  black  above  and  silvery  white 
below.  The  whole  body  is  rough,  and  the  lateral  line  is  almost  invis- 
ible. The  usual  length  of  the  Sword-fish  is  from  ten  to  twelve  feet, 
but  specimens  have  been  seen  which  much  exceed  those  dimensions. 
A  few  examples  of  the  Sword-fish  have  been  captured  in  British 
waters ;  one  that  measured  seven  feet  in  length  was  taken  off"  Margate. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  large  family  of  the  Gobies,  which  iucludes 
many  curious  fish,  and  of  which  the  British  coasts  present  many  repre- 
sentatives. 

The  Black  Goby,  sometimes  known  as  the  Rock-fish,  is  a  moder- 
ately common  example  of  the  enormous  genus  to  which  it  belongs, 
and  which  contains  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  authenticated 
species.  The  members  of  this  genus  may  easily  be  recognized  by  the 
peculiar  form  of  the  ventral  fins,  which  are  united  together  so  as  to 
form  a  hollow  disc,  by  which  they  can  attach  themselves  to  rocks  or 
stones  at  pleasure.  In  fact,  this  disc,  although  differing  in  shape,  acts 
on  exactly  the  same  principle  as  that  of  the  sucking  fish. 

The  Black  Goby  prefers  the  rocky  to  the  sandy  coasts,  and  may  be 
found  in  the  pools  left  by  the  retreating  tide.  Some  naturalists  deny 
that  the  disc  is  used  for  adhesion,  but  I  have  caught  and  kept  many 
Gobies,  and  have  frequently  seen  them  sticking  to  the  sides  of  the 
vessel  in  which  they  were  confined.  The  adhesion  was  achieved  with 
astonishing  rapidity,  and  the  little  fish  contrived  to  hold  itself  with 
great  tenacity.  The  surface  of  the  Black  Goby  is  very  slippery,  owing 
to  the  abundant  mucous  secretion  which  is  poured  from  the  appropriate 
glands ;  but  after  it  has  been  in  spirits  for  some  time  the  edges  of  the 
scales  begin  to  project  through  the  mucus,  and  are  exceedingly  rough 
to  the  touch. 


556 


THE  FISHING   FKOG. 


Id  some  places  along  the  seacoast  the  Gobies  are  known  by  the  pop- 
ular appellation  of  Bull-routs,  and  are  rather  feared  on  account  of  the 
sharp  bite  which  their  strong  jaws  and  pointed  teeth  can  inflict  upon  the 
bare  hand. 

Another  small  family  now  comes  before  us,  called  the  Batrachidse, 
or  Frog-fishes,  from  the  froggish  aspect  of  the  body,  and  especially  of 
the  head. 

The  Fishing  Frog,  Angler-fish,  or  Wide  Gab  is  not  unfrequent 
on  the  British  coasts,  and  has  long  been  famous  for  the  habit  from 
which  it  has  derived  its  popular  name. 

The  first  dorsal  fin  is  almost  wholly  wanting,  its  place  being  occu- 
pied merely  by  three  spines,  movable  by  means  of  certain  muscles.    The 

manner  in  which 

'  "    these   spines  "  are 

connected  with 
the  body  is  truly 
marvellous.  The 
first,  which  is  fur- 
nished at  its  tip 
with  a  loose  shi- 
ning slip  of  mem- 
brane, is  develop- 
ed at  its  base  into 
a  ring,  through 
which  passes  a  sta- 
ple of  bone  that 
proceeds  from  the 
head.  The  read- 
er may  obtain  a 
very  perfect  idea 
of  this  beautiful 
piece  of  mechan- 
ism by  taking  a 
common         iron 

skewer,  slipping  a  staple  through  its  ring,  and  driving  the  staple  into  a 
board.  It  will  then  be  seen  that  the  skewer  is  capable  of  free  motion 
in  every  direction.  The  second  spine  is  arranged  after  a  somewhat' 
similar  fashion,  but  is  capable  of  being  moved  only  backward  and 
fi>rward.  The  use  of  these  spines  is  no  less  remarkable  than  their 
form. 

The  Fishing  Frog  is  not  a  rapid  swimmer,  and  would  have  but  little 
success  if  it  were  to  chase  the  swift  and  active  fishes  on  which  it  feeds. 
It  therefore  buries  itself  in  the  muddy  sand,  and  continually  waves 
the  long  filaments  with  their  glittering  tips.     The  neighboring  fish, 


The  Fishing  Frog  {Lophius  piscatorius). 


THE  WALKING  FISH.  557 

following  the  instincts  of  their  inquisitive  nature,  corae  to  examine  the 
curious  object,  and  are  suddenly  snapped  up  in  the  wide  jaws  of  their 
hidden  foe.  Many  fishes  can  be  attracted  by  any  glittering  object 
moved  gently  in  the  water,  and  it  is  well  known  by  anglers  how  deadly 
a  bait  is  formed  of  a  spoon-shaped  piece  of  polished  metal  furnished 
with  hooks  and  drawn  quickly  through   the  water. 

It  is  impossible  to  mistake  this  fish  for  any  other  inhabitant  of  the 
ocean,  its  huge  head — wide,  flattened,  and  toad-like — its  enormous  and 
gaping  mouth,  with  the  rows  of  sharply-pointed  teeth,  its  eyes  set  on 
the  top  of  the  head,  and  the  three  long  spines,  being  signs  which  can- 
not be  misunderstood.  The  general  color  of  this  fish  is  brown  above 
and  white  below ;  the  ventral  and  pectoral  fins  are  nearly  white,  and 
that  of  the  tail  almost  black.  The  throat,  just  within  the  jaws,  is 
composed  of  loose  skin,  which  forms  a  kind  of  bag.  The  average 
length  of  the  adult  Fishing  Frog  is  about  a  yard. 

The  family  in  which  this  fish  is  placed  may  be  distinguished  by  the 
peculiar  structure  of  the  pectoral  fins,  which  are  mounted  on  a  sort 
of  arm  produced  by  an  elongation  of  the  carpal  bones.  From  this 
peculiarity  the  family  is  termed  Pediculati,  or  "  foot-bearing  fishes,"  as 
the  prolonged  fins  enable  them  to  walk  along  wet  ground  almost  like 
quadrupeds. 

The  very  odd-looking  creature  called  the  Walking  Fish  is  one  of 
the  strange  and  weird  forms  that  sometimes  occur  in  nature,  and  which 
are  so  entirely  opposed  to  all  preconceived  ideas  that  they  appear 
to  be  rather  the  composition  of  human  ingenuity  than  beings  actually 
existing.  The  traveller  who  first  discovered  this  remarkable  fish  would 
certainly  have  been  disbelieved  if  he  had  contented  himself  with  mak- 
ing a  drawing  of  it,  and  had  not  satisfied  the  rigid  scrutiny  of  scientific 
men  by  bringing  home  a  preserved  specimen. 

In  the  fishes  of  this  genus  the  carpal  bones — i.  e.,  those  bones  which 
represent  the  wrist  in  man — are  very  greatly  lengthened,  more  so  than 
in  the  preceding  genus,  and  at  their  extremity  are  placed  the  pectoral 
fins,  which  are  short,  stiflT,  and  powerful,  the  pointed  rays  resembling 
claws  rather  than  fins.  In  all  the  fishes  of  this  genus  the  body  is 
much  compressed  and  decidedly  elevated,  but  in  the  present  species 
these  peculiarities  are  carried  to  an  almost  exaggerated  extent.  The 
first  dorsal  spine,  with  its  membranous  appendages,  is  placed,  as  usual, 
just  above  the  snout,  and  the  second  ray  is  set  immediately  behind  it. 
The  third,  however,  is  placed  at  a  very  great  distance  from  the  second, 
and  forms  part  of  the  soft  dorsal  fin.  . 

Dr.  Giinther  remarks  upon  the  fishes  of  this  genus  that  they  are  so 
extremely  variable  in  form,  color,  and  the  greater  or  less  development 
of  the  dorsal  spines,  that  hardly  two  specimens  are  found  sufl[iciently 
alike  to  enable  the  systematic  naturalist  to  decide  upon  their  precise 

47* 


558  THE  SEA  WOLF  AND  THE  EYED   BLENNY. 

situation  in  the  zoological  scale.  Moreover,  their  geographical  range  is 
exceedingly  wide,  some  species  ranging  over  the  Atlantic  and  Indian 
Oceans ;  and  the  learned  ichthyologist  above  mentioned  is  of  opinion 
that  many  specimens  which  he  has  at  present  been  compelled  to  admit 
into  the  list  of  separate  species  will  ultimately  be  found  to  be  mere 
casual  varieties. 

The  color  of  this  species  is  yellow  diversified  with  many  spots  and 
streaks  of  brown,  some  of  the  streaks  radiating  from  the  eye,  and 
others  extending  over  the  dorsal  fin.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Indian 
seas. 

The  important  family  of  the  Blennies  comes  next  in  order.  They 
are  all  carnivorous  fishes,  many  being  extremely  voracious,  and  are 
spread  over  the  shores  of  every  sea  on  the  globe.  They  mostly  reside 
on  or  near  the  bottom. 

The  Sea  Wolf,  Sea  Cat,  or  Swine-fish,  is  one  of  the  fiercest  and 
most  formidable  of  the  finny  tribes  that  are  found  on  our  coast,  and 
has  well  earned  the  popular  names  by  which  it  is  known. 

The  Sea  Wolf  possesses  a  terrible  armature  of  teeth,  not  only  in  the 
jaws,  but  arranged  in  a  double  band  on  the  palate,  and  by  means  of 
these  powerful  weapons  it  can  crush  with  ease  the  hard-shelled  mol- 
luscs and  crustaceans  on  which  it  feeds.  As  may  be  imagined,  the 
aspect  of  the  Sea  Wolf  is  far  from  prepossessing,  its  fierce  head,  with 
the  armed  jaws,  strong  and  cruel  as  those  of  the  tiger  or  hysena,  and 
the  smooth,  slime-covered  skin,  giving  it  a  most  repulsive  aspect. 

The  Sea  Wolf  is  sometimes  taken  with  the  hook,  but  is  mostly  found 
entangled  in  the  nets  together  with  other  fish,  and  in  either  case  it  strug- 
gles violently  as  soon  as  it  perceives  the  loss  of  its  liberty.  It  will  tear 
the  nets  to  pieces  with  its  teeth,  and  when  hauled  out  of  the  water  it  still 
flounces  about  with  such  vigor,  and  bites  at  every  object  with  such 
ferocity,  that  the  boatmen  usually  stun  it  by  a  blow  on  the  head  before 
lifting  it  into  the  vessel,  a  very  heavy  stroke  being  required  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

The  general  color  of  the  Sea  Wolf  is  brownish  gray,  with  a  series  of 
brown  vertical  stripes  and  spots  over  the  upper  parts  ;  the  under  parts 
are  white.  On  our  shores  it  attains  a  length  of  six  or  seven  feet,  but  in 
the  northern  seas,  where  it  thrives  best,  it  greatly  exceeds  those  dimen- 
sions. There  is  an  American  variety  where  the  vertical  streaks  are 
modified  into  round  spots  of  blackish  brown. 

The  typical  g^nus  of  this  family  is  represented  by  several  British 
specimens,  of  which  the  Eyed  Blenny  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous. 
This  pretty  fish  is  not  very  common,  but  has  been  taken  on  the  south- 
ern coasts  of  England.  From  the  elevated  dorsal  fin,  and  the  bold  dark- 
brown  spot  that  decorates  it,  this  Blenny  has  sometimes  been  called  the 
Butterfly  Fish.     In  the  Mediterranean  it  is  tolerably  common,  and  lives 


THE  CLIMBING  PERCH. 


559 


mostly  among  the  seaweed,  where  it  finds  abundance  of  the  smaller 
Crustacea  and  molluscs. 

The  extraordinary  fish  called,  from  its  habits,  the  Climbing  Perch 
is  a  native  of  Asia,  and  remarkable  for  its  apparent  disregard  of  cer- 
tain natural  laws. 

This  singular  creature  has  long  been  celebrated  for  its  powers  of  vol- 
untarily leaving  the  failing  streams,  ascending  the  banks,  and  proceed- 
ing over  dry  land  toward  some  spot  where  its  unerring  instinct  warns 
it  that  water  is  yet  to  be  found. 

Several  species,  of  which  the  Anahas  scandens  has  been  chosen  as  the 
best  example,  possess  this  singular  property  of  walking  over  dry  land, 
so  that  the  old  proverb  of  a  fish  out  of  water  is  in  these  cases  quite  in- 
applicable.    Several  instances  of  this  remarkable  propensity  have  been 


The  Climbing  Perch  {Anahas  scandem). 

collected  by  Sir  J.  Emerson  Tennent,  and  have  been  inserted  in  his 
valuable  work  on  the  natural  history  of  Ceylon.  The  following  ac- 
count is  written  by  Mr.  Morris,  the  government  agent  in  Trinco- 
malee : 

"  I  was  lately  on  duty  inspecting  the  bund  of  a  large  tank  at  Nade- 
cadua,  which  being  out  of  repair,  the  remaining  water  was  confined  in 
a  small  hollow  in  the  otherwise  dry  bed.  Whilst  there  heavy  rains 
came  on,  and  as  we  stood  on  the  high  ground  we  observed  a  pelican  on 
the  margin  of  the  shallow  pool  gorging  himself;  our  people  went  to- 
ward him,  and  raised  a  cry  of  *  Fish  !  fish  !'  We  hurried  down  and 
found  numbers  of  fish  struggling  upward  through  the  grass  in  the  rills 
formed  by  the  trickling  of  the  rain.  There  was  scarcely  water  to  cover 
them,  but  nevertheless  they  made  rapid  progress  up  the  bank,  on  which 
our  followers  collected  about  two  baskets  of  them  at  a  distance  of  about 


560  THE  CLIMBING  PERCH. 

forty  yards  from  the  tank.  They  were  forcing  their  way  up  the  knoll ; 
and  had  they  not  been  interrupted,  first  by  the  pelican  and  afterward 
bv  ourselves,  they  would  in  a  few  minutes  have  gained  the  highest 
point,  and  descended  on  the  other  side  into  a  pool  which  formed  an- 
other portion  of  the  tank. 

"...  As  the  tanks  dry  up  the  fish  congregate  in  the  little  pools,  till 
at  last  you  find  them  in  thousands  in  the  moistest  parts  of  the  beds, 
rolling  in  the  blue  mud,  which  is  at  that  time  about  the  consistence  of 
thick  gruel. 

"As  the  moisture  further  evaporates  the  surface  fish  are  left  uncov- 
ered, and  they  crawl  away  in  search  of  fresh  pools.  In  one  place  I 
saw  hundreds  diverging  in  every  direction  from  the  tank  they  had  just 
abandoned  to  a  distance  of  fifty  or  sixty  yards,  and  still  travelling  on- 
ward. In  going  this  distance,  however,  they  must  have  used  muscular 
exertion  enough  to  have  taken  them  half  a  mile  on  level  ground,  for 
at  these  places  all  the  cattle  and  wild  animals  of  the  neighborhood  had 
latterly  come  to  drink,  so  that  the  surface  was  everywhere  indented 
with  footmarks  in  addition  to  the  cracks  in  the  surrounding  baked 
mud,  into  which  the  fish  tumbled  in  their  progress.  In  those  holes 
which  were  deep,  and  the  sides  perpendicular,  they  remained  to  die, 
and  were  carried  off  by  kites  and  crows. 

"  My  impression  is  that  this  migration  must  take  place  at  night  or 
before  sunrise,  for  it  was  only  early  in  the  morning  that  I  have  seen 
them  progressing,  and  I  found  that  those  I  brought  away  with  me  in 
the  chatties  appeared  quiet  by  day,  but  a  large  proportion  managed  to 
get  out  of  the  chatties  by  night.  Some  escaped  altogether;  others  were 
trodden  on  and  killed. 

"One  peculiarity  is  the  large  size  of  the  vertebral  column,  quite  dis- 
proportioned  to  the  bulk  of  the  fish.  I  particularly  noticed  that  all  in 
the  act  of  migrating  had  their  gills  expanded." 

It  is  known  of  the  Climbing  Perch  that  the  fishermen  of  the  Ganges, 
who  subsist  largely  on  these  fishes,  are  accustomed  to  put  them  into  an 
earthen  pan  or  chatty  as  soon  as  caught;  and,  although  no  water  is 
supplied  to  them,  they  exist  very  well  without  it,  and  live  this  strange 
life  for  five  or  six  days. 

On  opening  the  head  of  this  fish  the  curious  structure  which  enables 
it  to  perform  such  marvellous  feats  is  clearly  seen.  Just  within  the 
sides  of  the  head  the  pharyngeal  bones — i.  e.,  the  bones  that  support 
the  orifice  between  the  mouth  and  gullet — are  much  enlarged,  and  mod- 
ified into  a  series  of  labyrinthine  cells  and  duplications,  so  that  they 
retain  a  large  amount  of  water  in  the  interstices  and  prevent  the  gill- 
membranes  from  becoming  dry.  Some  writers  say  that  this  fish  is  ca- 
pable of  climbing  up  the  rough  stems  of  palm  trees  in  search  of  the 
water  that  lodges  between  the  bases  of  the  dead  leaves  and  the  stem, 


THE  COMMON  SOLE.  561 

or  perhaps  iu  search  of  food.  lu  the  Tamoule  language  it  is  called 
Paiieiri,  or  tree-climber. 

The  Flat  Fishes,  as  they  are  popularly  called,  or  the  Pleuronec- 
tidae,  as  they  are  named  scientifically,  are  among  the  most  remarkable 
of  the  finny  tribe.  The  latter  name  is  of  Greek  origin,  and  signifies 
"  side-swimmer,"  in  allusion  to  the  mode  of  progression  usually  adopted 
by  these  fishes. 

The  popular  but  erroneous  idea  of  these  creatures  is  that  their  bodies 
are  flattened,  so  that  the  abdomen  rests  on  the  ground  and  the  back  re- 
mains uppermost ;  but  a  brief  examination  suffices  to  show  that  the 
form  of  these  fishes  is  really  compressed,  so  that  when  a  turbot  or  a 
sole  is  placed  on  the  ground  it  lies  upon  one  side  or  the  other.  Though 
varying  in  color,  it  is  found  that  the  upper  side  is  always  of  a  dark  tint, 
the  under  side  being  quite  if  not  wholly  white.  This  arrangement  is 
most  useful  in  guarding  them  against  the  attacks  of  enemies,  their  flat 
dark  upper  surface  bearing  so  great  a  resemblance  to  the  sand  on  which 
they  love  to  creep  that  they  can  scarcely  be  distinguished,  even  when 
the  eye  is  directed  toward  them. 

While  at  their  ease  they  slide  themselves  over  the  bed  of  the  sea  in 
a  kind  of  creeping  fashion,  and  have  an  odd  custom  of  lying  with  the 
head  raised  in  a  manner  that  reminds  the  observer  irresistibly  of  the 
cobra.  If  alarmed,  they  start  at  once  into  the  vertical  position  usually 
assumed  by  fishes,  and  dash  ofl"  with  astonishing  speed.  As  they  swim 
the  flat  fishes  undulate  through  the  water  in  a  most  graceful  manner, 
and  it  is  very  interesting  to  watch  one  of  the  common  species,  such  as 
the  plaice  or  the  sole,  swim  with  serpentine  ease  and  elegance,  and  then 
sufter  itself  to  sink  slowly  to  the  bottom,  where  it  sits  with  raised  head 
and  watchful  eyes. 

It  is  evident  that  if  the  eyes  of  the  flat  fishes  were  placed  in  the 
manner  customary  among  the  finny  race,  one  eye  would  be  rendered 
useless  as  long  as  the  fish  was  lying  upon  its  side.  This  difficulty  is 
therefore  met  by  a  most  extraordinary  modification  of  the  bones  of  the 
head,  by  which  means  both  the  eyes  are  brought  to  that  side  which  re- 
mains uppermost,  and  are  thereby  enabled  to  command  a  wide  view 
around.  There  have  been  one  or  two  instances  where  the  eyes  have 
been  placed  one  on  each  side,  but  these  may  be  considered  as  simple 
variations  from  the  ordinary  rule. 

The  Common  Sole  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of  our  British  flat 
fishes,  and  is  found  on  all  our  coasts,  those  of  the  southern  shores  being 
the  most  plentiful  and  attaining  the  largest  dimensions. 

The  Sole  can  be  taken  by  the  line,  but  the  fishermen  always  use  the 
trawl-net — a  kind  of  huge  dredge  with  a  mouth  that  often  exceeds 
thirty  feet  in  width.  As  these  nets  are  drawn  along  the  bed  of  the 
sea  the  great  beam  which  edges  the  mouth  scrapes  the  mud  and  sand, 

2  L 


562  THE  TURBOT. 

and  alarms  the  fishes  to  such  an  extent  that  they  dash  wildly  about, 
and  mostly  dart  into  the  net,  whence  they  never  escape.  Vast  num- 
bers of  Soles  are  taken  by  this  method  of  fishing,  and,  as  the  trawls 
bring  to  the  surface  enormous  quantities  of  crustaceans,  molluscs,  zoo- 
phytes, and  other  marine  inhabitants,  the  energetic  naturalist  cannot 
employ  his  time  better  than  in  taking  a  sail  in  one  of  these  boats,  and 
enduring  a  few  hours'  inconvenience  for  the  sake  of  the  rich  harvest 
which  he  is  sure  to  reap.  Some  of  the  rarest  and  most  valuable  British 
animals  have  been  taken  in  the  trawl-nets.     The  finest  Sole  that  I  ever 

saw  I  took  in  a 
trawl-net  in  one 
of  the  creeks  of 
the  Med  way.  As 
to  length  and 
breadth  it  was 
not  very  remark- 
able, but  it  was 
almost  half  as 
thick  again  as 
^M  any  Sole  that  I 
have  seen. 

The    Sole    is 

The  Sole  [Soka  mUgaris).  iu  condition 

throughout  the 
greater  part  of  the  year,  the  only  time  when  it  is  not  worth  eating 
being  from  the  end  of  February  to  the  last  week  in  March,  when  the 
fishes  are  full  of  roe  and  the  flesh  is  rather  soft  and  watery.  It  is  a 
liardy  fish,  and  can  soon  be  acclimatized  to  live  in  fresh  water;  and  it 
is  said  that  under  such  circumstances  the  fish  can  readily  be  fattened, 
and  becomes  nearly  twice  as  thick  as  when  bred  in  the  sea.  Some- 
times the  Soles  venture  into  the  mouths  of  rivers,  passing  about  four 
or  five  miles  into  the  fresh  water,  and  depositing  their  multitudinous 
eggs  in  such  localities. 

The  color  of  the  Sole  is  almost  always  brown  on  the  right  side  and 
white  on  the  left,  but  examples  of  reversed  soles  are  not  uncommon, 
where  the  left  side  is  brown  and  the  other  is  white.  The  scales  are 
small,  and  give  a  rough,  rasp-like  sensation  to  the  hand.  The  dimen- 
sions of  this  fish  are  very  variable,  an  average  specimen  weighing  about 
a  pound  or  eighteen  ounces.  Much  larger  examples,  however,  occur 
occasionally,  and  Mr.  Yarrell  mentions  one  instance  where  a  Sole 
measured  twenty-six  inches  in  length,  eleven  and  a  half  in  width, 
and  weighed   nine  pounds. 

The  well-kuow4  Turbot,  so  widely  and  so  worthily  celebrated  for 
the  firm  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  inhabits  many  of  the  European  coasts, 


THE  PLAICE. 


563 


and  is  found  in  tolerable  abundance  off  our  own  shores.     Like  all  Hat 
fishes,  it  mostly  haunts  the  sandy  bed  of  the  sea,  but  will  sometimes 
swim  boldly  to  the  surface  of  the  water.     It  is  a  restless  and  wandering 
fish,    traversing    considerable 
distances  as  it  feeds,  and  gen- 
erally  moving  in  small  com- 
panies. 

The  Turbot  is  known  in 
Scotland  by  the  titles  of  Ban- 
nock Fleuk  and  Spawn 
Fleuk,  the  former  name 
being  given  to  it  on  account 
of  its  flat  shape,  which  re- 
sembles a  bannock  or  oat- 
cake, and  the  latter  because 
it  is  thought  to  be  at  the  best 
while  in  roe.  After  spawning 
— i.  e.,  about  August — its  flesh 

loses  its  peculiar  firmness,  but  in  a  very  short  time  the  fish  regains  its 
condition. 

The  color  of  the  Turbot  is  brown  of  different  shades  on  one  side, 
usually  the  left,  and  the  whole  of  that  side  is  spotted  with  little  round 
bony  tubercles,  which  may  be  found  in  the  skin  after  boiling.  The  size 
of  this  fish  is  extremely  variable.  The  average  weight  is  six  or  seven 
pounds,  but  Turbots  are  often  taken  of  far  greater  dimensions.     The 

largest  specimen 
of  which  an  au- 
thentic notice  is 
was 
Ply- 
the 
and 


The  Turbot  [Pleuronectes  maximus 


preserved 
taken   near 
mouth     in 
year    1730, 


weighed   seventy 
pounds. 

The  Plaice  is 
well  known  by 
the  bright  red 
spots  which  are 
scattered  over 
its  dark  side  I 
The  Plaice  (Pleuronecte^,  platessa).  havecaught  num- 

bers of  Plaice,  some  measuring  six  or  seven  inches  in  length,  by  merely 
wading  into  the  muddy  sand,  holding  them  down  with  the  feet,  and 
picking  them  out  with  the  hands.     Their  terrified  wriggle  is  easily  felt 


564  THE  FLOUNDER  AND  THE  COD-FISH. 

bv  the  bare  feet  as  the  fishes  find  themselves  pressed  into  the  sand, 
whither  they  have  fled  for  refuge,  and  by  a  little  dexterous  manage- 
ment they  may  be  captured  by  inserting  the  fingers  under  the  fi^ot  and 
seizing  them  firmly  across  the  body. 

The  color  of  the  Plaice  is  light  brown,  variegated  with  a  number  of 
bright  red  spots  upon  the  body  and  the  dorsal  and  anal  fins.  When 
young  the  Plaice  has  often  a  dark  spot  in  the  centre  of  each  red  mark. 
The  Flounder,  Mayock  Fleuk,  or  Butt  is  quite  as  common  as  the 
plaice,  and  is  found  in  salt,  brackish,  or  fresh  water,  sometimes  living  in 
the  sea,  sometimes  inhabiting  the  mouths  of  rivers,  and  sometimes  pass- 
ing up  the  stream  for  many  miles. 

In  former  days  the  Flounder  has  been  known  to  ascend  the  Thames 
as  high  as  Hampton  Court,  and  has  there  been  observed  actively  chas- 
ing the  minnows  and  driving  them  into  shallow  water.  I  have  often 
taken  small  Flounders  in  the  Thames  just  above  Erith. 

The  well-known  Cod-fish  is  a  native  of  many  seas,  and  in  some  local- 
ities is  found  in  countless  legions. 

This  most  useful  fish  is  captured  in  vast  numbers  at  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  and  is  always  taken  with  the  hook  and  line.     The  lines  are 

of  two  descriptions — namely,  the  long 
lines,  to  which  a  great  number  of  short 
lines  are  attached,  and  the  simple  hand- 
lines,  which  are  held  by  the  fishermen. 
The  long  lines  sometimes  run  to  an 
extraordinary  length,  and  shorter  lines, 
technically  called  snoods,  are  afiixed  to 
them  at  definite  distances. 
V^^^"^ —  To  the  end  of  each  snood  is  attached 

The  Cod  i^cuius  morrhua),        ^   ^^'^^^  ^««^'  ^^^'  ^^   the  sharp  teeth^ 

of  the  fish  might  sever  a  single  line,  the 
portion  of  the  snood  which  is  near  the  hook  is  composed  of  a  number 
of  separate  threads  fastened  loosely  together,  so  as  to  permit  the  teeth 
to  pass  between  the  strands.  At  each  end  of  the  long  line  is  fastened 
a  float  or  buoy,  and  when  the  hooks  have  been  baited  with  sand  launce, 
limpets,  whelks,  and  similar  substances,  the  line  is  ready  for  action. 

The  boat,  in  which  the  line  is  ready  coiled,  makes  for  the  fishing- 
place,  lowers  a  grapnel  or  small  anchor,  to  which  is  attached  the  buoy 
at  one  end  of  the  line,  and  the  vessel  then  sails  oflT,  paying  out  the  line 
as  it  proceeds,  and  always  "  shooting  "  the  line  across  the  tide,  so  as  to 
prevent  the  hooks  from  being  washed  against  each  other  or  twisted- 
round  the  line,  which  is  usually  shot  in  the  interval  between  the  ebb 
and  flow  of  the  tide,  and  hauled  in  at  the  end  of  about  six  hours. 

As  soon  as  the  long  line  has  been  fairly  shot,  and  both  ends  firmly 
affixed  to  the  grapnels,  the  fishermen  improve  the  next  six  hours  by 


THE  SHARP-NOSED  EEL.  6G5 

angling  with  short  lines,  one  of  which  is  held  in  each  hand.  They  thus 
capture  not  only  Cod-fish,  but  haddock,  whiting,  hake,  pollack,  and 
various  kinds  of  flat  fishes.  On  favorable  occasions  the  quantity  of 
fish  captured  by  a  single  boat  is  very  great,  one  man  having  taken  more 
than  four  hundred  Cod  alone  in  ten  hours. 

The  Cod  is  sometimes  sent  away  in  a  fresh  state,  but  is  often  split 
and  salted  on  the  spot,  packed  in  flats  on  board,  and  afterward  washed 
and  dried  on  the  rocks.  In  this  state  it  is  called  Klip-fish  or  Kock- 
fish.  The  liver  produces  a  most  valuable  oil,  which  is  now  in  great 
favor  for  the  purpose  of  affording  strength  to  persons  afflicted  with 
delicate  lungs  or  who  show  symptoms  of  decline.  The  best  oil  is  that 
which  drains  naturally  from  the  livers  as  they  are  thrown  into  a  vessel 
which  is  placed  in  a  pan  filled  with  boiling  water.  The  oil  is  then 
carefully  strained  through  flannel,  and  is  ready  for  sale. 

The  roe  of  the  Cod  is  useful  for  bait,  the  sardine  in  particular  being 
very  partial  to  that  substance.  Much  of  the  roe  is  stupidly  wasted  by 
the  fisherman,  who  carelessly  flings  into  the  sea  a  commodity  of  which 
he  can  sell  any  amount,  and  for  which  he  can  obtain  ten  or  eleven 
shillings  per  hundredweight.  In  Norway  the  dried  heads  of  the  Cod 
are  used  as  fodder  for  cows,  and,  strange  to  say,  the  graminivorous 
quadrupeds  are  very  fond  of  this  aliment. 

Like  several  other  marine  fish,  the  Cod  can  be  kept  in  a  pond,  pro- 
vided the  water  be  salt ;  and  if  the  pond  should  communicate  with  the 
sea,  these  fishes  can  readily  be  fattened  for  the  table.  Several  such 
ponds  are  in  existence,  and  it  is  the  custom  to  transfer  to  them  the 
liveliest  specimens  that  have  been  caught  during  the  day's  fishery,  the 
dead  or  dying  being  either  sold  or  cut  up  as  food  for  their  imprisoned 
relatives.  These  fishes  are  extremely  voracious,  and  will  eat  not  only 
the  flesh  of  their  kinsmen,  but  that  of  whelks  and  other  molluscs, 
which  are  abundantly  thrown  to  them.  It  is  found  that  under  this 
treatment  the  Cod  is  firmer,  thicker,  and  heavier  in  proportion  to  its 
length  than  if  it  had  been  suffered  to  roam  at  large  in  the  sea. 

In  the  large  and  important  group  of  fishes  to  which  our  attention  is 
now  drawn,  and  popularly  known  as  Eels,  the  ventral  fins  are  wholly 
wanting,  the  body  is  long,  snake-like,  smooth  and  slimy  on  the  exterior, 
and  in  many  cases  covered  with  very  little  scales  hidden  in  the  thick 
soft  skin. 

The  Sharp-nosed  Eel  derives  its  name  from  the  shape  of  its  head, 
and  by  that  structure  may  be  distinguished  from  the  second  species. 
In  their  habits  the  Eels  are  so  similar  that  the  present  species  will  be 
taken  as  an  example  of  the  whole  genus. 

Of  the  general  habits  of  the  Eel,  the  Hon.  Grantley  F.  Berkeley 
has  given  the  following  short  and  interesting  account :  "  During  hot, 
still  sunny  weather,  day  and  night,  in  the  month  oi  June,  the  Eels  are 

48 


oG(3  HABITS  OF  THE   EEL. 

chiefly  ou  the  top  of  the  water.  Wherever  masses  of  weeds  lie,  and 
what  is  called  the  cow-weed  grows  the  longest,  there  Eels  do  congre- 
gate, to  bask  in  the  sun  by  day,  to  enjoy  by  night  the  warmth  left  in 
the  weeds  by  the  sun,  and  there,  while  thus  luxuriating,  to  snap  at  and 
catch  the  myriads  of  gnats,  moths,  flies,  and  other  insects  that  seek  the 
weeds  for  food  or  rest,  and  by  damping  their  wings  become  an  easy 
prey  to  their  ambushed  assailants.  In  waiting  for  the  otter  or  watch- 
ing the  river,  I  have  often  sat  in  my  boat  embayed  in  weeds,  and  seen 
and  heard  the  Eels  thus  occupied  ;  and  near  and  within  these  weeds,  in 
ihe  particular  weather  alluded  to,  the  wire-traps,  nets,  and  snig-pots  take 
best.  The  haunts  of  Eels  are  quite  as  variable  as  the  weather.  In 
warm,  still  weather  seek  them  on  the  rapids  and  near  weeds  either 
waving  on  the  surface  of  the  water  or  in  floating  masses  of  detached 
weeds  that  the  eddies  of  the  stream  have  wound  and  kept  in  one  place. 
In  blowing,  cooler,  or  rainy  weather,  then  look  for  them  in  the  still 
ditches.  If  a  flush  of  water  comes,  and  a  little  shallow  stream  run- 
ning from  or  into  the  main  river  becomes  fuller  than  usual,  then  let 
all  the  captu ring-gear  be  set  to  take  them  on,  to  them,  this  delicious 
change  of  ground,  for  against  this  stream  they  will  work  as  long  as  it 
is  freshened.  In  one  night,  in  a  little  stream  of  this  sort,  I  took  thirty 
pounds  weight  of  Eels." 

Like  several  fishes  which  have  already  been  mentioned.  Eels  are  very 
tenacious  of  life,  and  are  able  to  live  for  a  long  time  when  taken  out 
of  water,  owing  to  a  simple  but  beautiful  modification  of  structure, 
which  retains  a  sufficient  amount  of  moisture  to  keep  the  gills  in  a 
damp  state  and  able  to  perform  their  natural  functions.  These  fishes 
have  been  seen  crawling  over  considerable  distances,  evidently  either  in 
search  of  water,  their  own  dwelling-place  being  nearly  dried,  or  in  quest 
of  some  running  stream  in  whose  waters  they  might  descend  to  the  sea, 
after  the  manner  of  their  race. 

Toward  the  latter  end  of  summer  the  Eels  migrate  toward  the  sea, 
and  it  is  found  that  these  fishes  can  live  in  either  fresh  or  salt  water 
with  equal  ease,  the  mouths  of  rivers  being  favored  localities.  It  some- 
times happens  that  even  in  our  seaport-towns  and  marine  watering- 
places  the  common  river  Eel  is  caught  by  those  who  are  angling  in  the 
sea  for  marine  fish.  This  quality  is  peculiarly  valuable  in  the  Eel,  as 
It  enables  the  Dutch  fishermen,  who  annually  supply  our  markets  with 
vast  numbers  of  these  fish,  to  bring  them  across  the  sea  in  vessels  that 
are  fitted  with  "  wells  "  pierced  for  the  transmission  of  the  sea-water 
through  which  the  vessel  is  sailing. 

^  The  tenacity  of  life  possessed  by  this  fish  is  really  remarkable  ;  and 
It  IS  worthy  of  notice  that  the  best  mode  of  killing  Eels  is  to  grasp 
them  by  the  neck  and  slap  their  tails  smartly  against  a  stone  or  post, 
ihe  muscular  irritability  of  the  body  is  wonderfully  enduring,  and 


THE  CONGER   EEL. 


567 


after  the  creature  has  been  cut  up  into  lengths  each  separate  piece 
moves  about  as  it'  alive,  while  at  the  touch  of  a  pin's  point  it  will  curve 
itself  as  if  it  felt  the  injury.  When  all  such  irritability  has  ceased, 
the  portions  will  flounce  about  vigorously  if  placed  in  boiling  water ; 
and  even  after  they  have  remained  quiet  under  its  influence,  the  addi- 
tion of  salt  will  make  them  jump  about  as  vigorously  as  ever.  Of 
course  there  can  ba  no  real*sensatiou,  the  spinal  cord  having  been  sev- 
ered. 

The  reproduction  of  the  Eel  has  long  been  a  subject  of  discussion, 
some  persons  thinking  that  the  young  are  produced  in  a  living  state, 
and  others  holding  that  they  are  hatched  from  eggs.  This  question 
has,  however,  been  set  at  rest  by  that  universal  revealer,  the  achromatic 
microscope,  which  has  shown  that  the  masses  of  oily-looking  substance 
generally  called  fat  are  really  the  aggregated  clusters  of  eggs,  and 
that  these  objects,  minute  though  they  may  be — not  so  large  as  the  dot 
over  the  letter  i — are  quite  perfect,  and  under  the  microscope  are  seen 
to  be  genuine  eggs. 

The  well-known  Conger  Eel  is  a  marine  species,  very  common  in 
our  seas,  and  being  most  usually  found  on  the  rocky  portion  of  the 
coast". 

This  useful  fish  has  of  late  years  come  into  more  general  use  than 
formerly,  and   its  good  qualities  are  more  appreciated.      The  flesh, 


The  Conger  (Conger  vulgaris). 

though  not  very  palatable  if  dressed  unskilfully,  is  now  held  in  some 
estimation,  and  for  the  manufacture  of  soup  is  thought  to  be  almost 
unrivalled.  The  fisherman  can  now  always- obtain  a  ready  sale  for  the 
Congers,  and  those  which  are  not  purchased  for  the  table  are  mostly 
bought  up  and  made  into  isinglass. 

The  color  of  the  Conger  is  pale  brown   above  and  grayish  white 


5ti8 


THE  ELECTRIC  EEL. 


The  Electric  Eel  {Gyynnotus  electricus). 


below.  It  often  attains  to  a  very  great  size,  measuring  ten  feet  in 
length  and  weighing  more  than  one  hundred  pounds. 

The  Electric  Eel  is  even  more  remarkable  for  its  capability  of 
delivering  powerful  electric  shocks  than  the  torpedo,  but,  as  it  is  never 
found  in  the  British  seas,  it  is  not  so  well  know^n  as  that  fish. 

The  Electric  Eel  is  a  native  of  Southern  America,  and  inhabits  the 
rivers  of  that  warm  and  verdant  country/*   The  organs  which  enable 

it  to  produce  such 
wonderful  effects 
are  double,  and 
lie  along  the 
body,  the  one 
upon  the  other. 
In  the  native 
country  of  these 
fishes  they  are 
captured  by  an 
ingenious  but 
somewhat  cruel 
process.  A  num- 
ber of  wild  horses 
are  driven  to  the 

spot  and  urged  into  the  w^ater.  The  alarmed  Gymnoti,  finding  their 
domains  thus  invaded,  call  forth  all  the  terrors  of  their  invisible  ar- 
tillery to  repel  the  intruders,  and  discharge  their  pent-up  lightnings 
with  fearful  rapidity  and  force.  Gliding  under  the  bellies  of  the 
frightened  horses,  they  press  themselves  against  their  bodies,  as  if  to 
economize  all  the  electrical  fluid,  and  by  shock  after  shock  generally 
succeed  in  drowning  several  of  the  poor  quadrupeds. 

Horses,  however,  are  of  but  slight  value  in  that  country — hardly, 
indeed,  so  much  valued  as  pigeons  in  England — and  as  fast  as  they 
emerge  from  the  water  in  frantic  terror  are  driven  back  among  their 
dread  enemies.  Presently  the  shocks  become  less  powerful,  for  the 
(Jymnotus  soon  exhausts  its  store  of  electricity,  and  when  the  fishes 
are  thoroughly  fatigued  they  are  captured  with  impunity  by  the  native 
liunters.  A  most  interesting  account  of  this  process  is  given  by 
Humboldt,  but  is  too  long  to  be  inserted  in  these  pages. 

Several  of  these  wonderful  fish  have  been  brought  to  England  in  a 
living  state,  and  there  was  a  fine  Gymnotus  in  the  Polytechnic  Institu- 
tion. Numbers  of  experimenters  were  accustomed  dailv  to  test  its 
powers,  and  the  fatal,  or  at  all  events  the  numbing,  power  of  the  stroke 
was  evident  when  the  creature  was  supplied  with  the  fish  on  which  it 
fed.  Though  blind,  it  was  accustomed  to  turn  its  head  toward  the 
t^pot  designated  by  the  splashing  of  the  attendant's  finger,  and  as  soon 


THE  ANCHOVY.  569 

as  a  fish  was  allowed  to  fall  into  the  water  the  Gymnotus  would  curve 
itself  slightly,  seem  to  stiffen  its  muscles,  and  the  victim  turned  over 
on  its  back,  struck  as  if  dead  by  the  violence  of  the  shock. 

When  full  grown  the  Electric  Eel  will  attain  a  length  of  five  or  six 
feet,  and  is  then  a  truly  formidable  creature.  The  body  is  rounded, 
and  the  scales  small  and  barely  visible.  According  to  Marcgrave,  the 
native  name  for  this  fish  is  Carapo. 

We  now  come  to  that  most  valuable  family  of  fishes,  the  Herring 
tribe,  called  technically  Clupeidse,  from  the  Latin  word  clupeay  "  a 
herring." 

The  well-known  Anchovy  is  properly  a  native  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea,  though  it  often  occurs  on  our  coasts,  and  has  once  or  twice  been 
captured  in  our  rivers.  Indeed,  one  practical  writer  on  British  fishes 
thinks  that  the  capture  of  the  Anchovy  ofi"  our  shores  is  a  task  that 
would  be  highly  remunerative  if  properly  undertaken,  and  that,  with 
proper  pains,  the  British  markets  might  be  fully  supplied  with  Ancho- 
vies from  our  own  seas. 

This  little  fish  has  long  been  famous  for  the  powerful  and  unique 
flavor  of  its  flesh,  and  is  in  consequence  captured  in  vast  quantities  for 
the  purpose  of  being  made  into  Anchovy  sauce,  Anchovy  paste,  and 
other  articles  of  diet  in  which  the  heart  of  an  epicure  delights.  Un- 
fortunately, however,  the  little  fish  is  so  valuable  that  in  the  preparations 
made  from  its  flesh  the  dishonest  dealers  too  often  adulterate  their  goods 
largely,  and  palm  off"  sprats  and  other  comparatively  worthless  fish 
for  the  real  Anchovy.  As  the  head  is  always  removed  before  the 
process  of  potting  is  commenced,  the  deception  is  not  easily  detected, 
the  long  head,  with  its  projecting  upper  jaw  and  deeply-cleft  gape, 
aflbrding  so  clear  an  evidence  of  the  identity  of  the  fish  that  no  one 
would  venture  to  pass  ofl*  one  fish  for  the  other  if  the  heads  were  per- 
mitted to  remain  in  their  natural  places.  The  flavor  of  the  veritable 
Anchovy  is  rudely  imitated  by  various  admixtures,  and  its  full  rich 
color  is  simulated  by  bole  ammoniac  and  other  abominations. 

The  very  long  generic  title  of  this  fish  was  given  to  it  in  ancient 
times,  and  is  still  retained,  as  being  at  once  appropriate  and  sanctioned 
by  the  verdict  of  antiquity.  Its  literal  signification  is  "  gall-tinctured," 
and  the  name  has  been  given'toiton  account  of  the  peculiar  bitter 
taste  of  the  head,  in  which  part  the  ancients  supposed  the  gall  to  be 
placed.  The  color  of  the  Anchovy  is  bluish  green  on  the  back  and 
upper  part  of  the  head,  and  the  remainder  of  the  body  silvery  white ; 
the  fins  have  a  tinge  of  green,  and  are  beautifully  transparent.  The 
scales  are  large,  and  f;dl  oflT  almost  at  a  touch.  The  length  of  the 
Anchovy  varies  from  five  to  seven  inches. 

The  Herring  is  undoubtedly  the  most  valuable  of  our  British  fishes, 
and  the  one  which  could  least  be  spared.     It  is  at  once  the  luxury  of 

48* 


570  THE  HEREING. 

the  rich  and  the  nourishment  of  the  poor,  capable  of  preservation 
throughout  a  long  period,  easily  packed,  quickly  and  simply  dressed, 
and  equally  good  whether  eaten  fresh  or  salted,  smoked  or  potted. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  year  the  Herring  lives  in  deep  water, 
where  it^  habits  are  entirely  unknown.  About  July  or  August  it  is 
urged,  by  the  irresistible  force  of  instinct,  to  approach  the  shores  for 
the  purpose  of  depositing  its  spawn  in  the  shallow  waters,  where  the 
warm  rays  of  the  sun  may  pour  their  vivifying  influence  upon  the  tiny 
eggs  that  will  hereafter  produce  creatures  of  so  disproportionate  a  size, 
and  where  the  ever-moving  tides  may  fill  the  water  with  free  oxygen 
as  the  waves  dash  on  the  shores  and  fall  back  in  whitened  spray,  thus 
giving  to  the  water  that  sparkling  freshness  so  needful  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  future  fish. 

The  Herrings,  when  they  once  begin  to  move,  arise  in  vast  shoals  and 
direct  their  course  toward  some  part  of  the  shore.     In  their  choice  of 

locality  they  are 

1  most     capricious 

M  fish,      sometimes 

^b^^^  frequenting    one 

spot     for    many 

successive  years, 

then  deserting  it 

J  for  a   length   of 

-  time,  and  again 

3  returning    to    it 

without  any  ap- 

.  ^,         ,  .  parent  reason  for 

Ihe  Herring  (Clupea  harenqus).  .^i  p 

^     ^  ^    '  either  course   or 

proceeding.     They  are  essentially  gregarious  while  on  the  move  ;  and 

each  shoal  is  so  closely  compacted,  and  its  limits  so  well   defined, 

that  while  one  net  will  be  filled  almost  to  bursting  with  Herrings, 

another  net,  only  a  yard  or  two  distant,  will  be  left  as  empty  as  when 

it  was  shot. 

The  Herring  is  one  of  the  fish  that  cannot  endure  absence  from 
water,  dying  almost  immediately  after  it  is  taken  out  of  the  sea,  and 
thus  giving  rise  to  the  familiar  saying,  "As  dead  as  a  herring." 

The  food  of  the  Herring  is  extremely  varied,  even  in  the  compar- 
atively shallow  waters,  and  its  subsistence  during  the  time  it  is  sub- 
merged in  the  deep  is  necessarily  unknown.  In  the  stomach  of  the 
Herring  have  been  found  Crustacea  of  various  kinds,  molluscs,  the 
si)awn  and  fry  of  other  fish,  and  even  the  young  of  its  own  kind.  It 
can  be  taken  with  a  hook,  and  has  been  known  to  seize  a  limpet  that 
was  used  as  a  bait.  The  color  of  the  Herring  is  blue  above,  with  green- 
ish reflections,  and  the  rest  of  the  body  is  silvery  white.     After  the  fish 


THE  PILCHARD.  571 

has  been  dead  for  some  hours  the  cheeks  and  gill-covers  become  red,  as 
if  from  injected  blood. 

The  value  of  the  Herring  family  to  man  is  almost  incalculable.  The 
Pilchard  and  the  herring  are  very  similar  in  appearance,  but  may 
easily  be  distinguished  by  the  position  of  the  dorsal  fin,  which  in  the 
Pilchard  is  so  exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  body  that  if  the  fish  is  held 
by  it,  the  body  exactly  balances ;  while  in  the  herring  the  dorsal  fin  is 
placed  rather  backward,  so  that  when  suspended  the  fish  hangs  with  its 
head  downward. 

Unlike  the  herring,  which  visits  every  part  of  our  coast,  the  Pilchard 
is  found  only  on  the 
shores  of  Devonshire 
and  Cornwall.  Here, 
however,  the  enor- 
mous shoals  that  an- 
nually make  their  ap- 
pearance fully  com- 
pensate for  the  lim- 
ited   space    occupied 

by  them.    Occasional-  ^       ^  ,^,  .,  ,     , 

,  r.  V,     1-.       .  ^^^  Pilchard  [Ctupea  pilchardus). 

seen  on  the  southern  coast  of  Ireland.  The  coasts  of  France  and 
Spain  are  tolerably  frequent  resorts  of  this  fish. 

The  fish  are  usually  taken  in  an  enormous  building  of  nets,  called 
"scan  nets."  The  nets  used  in  the  sea-fishery  are  two — a  large  net, 
called  the  "stop  sean,"  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length  and  a  hun- 
dred feet  in  depth  ;  and  a  smaller  net,  called  the  "tuck  sean,"  about  a 
furlong  in  length,  and  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  depth,  the  aver- 
age value  of  the  two  nets  being  five  hundred  pounds. 

When  the  fishermen  see  a  shoal  of  Pilchards  approaching,  they  im- 
mediately set  out  in  two  fishing-boats,  one  of  which  carries  the  tuck 
sean  and  the  other  the  stop  sean.  Guided  by  signs  from  the  master- 
seaman,  they  silently  surround  the  shoal  with  the  nets,  the  larger  of 
which  is  used  to  enclose  a  large  number  of  fish,  and  the  smaller  to  pass 
within  the  other  net,  to  bring  the  mass  offish  into  a  small  compass,  and 
finally  to  prevent  them  from  escaping  until  the  fishermen  have  leisure 
to  remove  them  to  the  boats. 

When  landed  the  Pilchards  are  taken  to  the  storehouses,  salted,  and 
after  remaiuing  in  heaps  for  five  or  six  days  are  pressed  into  casks  by 
powerful  levers.  During  the  pressure,  which  lasts  about  a  fortnight, 
fresh  layers  of  fish  being  added  as  the  former  are  pressed  close,  an 
abundance  of  excellent  oil  escapes  from  holes  made  in  the  cask  for  the 
purpose.  The  entire  refuse  of  the  fish,  consisting  of  the  superabundant 
salt,  the  scales,  and  other  rejected  portions,  is  sold  to  the  farmers  as  a 


572 


THE  FLYING  FISH. 


valuable  manure.  The  refuse  of  each  Pilchard  is  calculated  to  manure 
one  square  foot  of  land. 

The  far-famed  Flying  Fish  exists  in  many  of  the  warmer  seas,  and 
derives  its  popular  name  from  its  wonderful  powers  of  sustaining  itself 
in  the  air. 

The  passage  of  this  fish  through  the  atmosphere  can  lay  no  just  claim 
to  the  title  of  flight,  for  the  creature  does  not  flap  the  wing-like  pectoral 
fins  on  which  it  is  upborne,  and  it  is  not  believed  even  to  possess  the 
power  of  changing  its  course. 

In  allusion  to  the  habits  of  this  remarkable  fish,  Mr,  F.  D.  Bennett, 
in  his  Narrative  of  a  Whaling  Voyage,  \ms  the  following  valuable  re- 
marks: 

"  The  principal  external  agents  employed  in  this  mode  of  locomotion 
are  the  large  lobe  of  the  tail  fin  and  the  broad  transparent  pectoral 


The  Flying  Fish  {Exocoetus  volitans). 

fins,  which,  on  this  occasion,  serve  at  least  as  a  parachute,  and  which, 
being  situated  close  to  the  back,  place  the  centre  of  suspension  higher 
than  the  centre  of  gravity.  It  is  also  curious  to  notice  how  well  the 
specific  gravity  of  the  fish  can  be  regulated,  in  correspondence  with 
the  element  through  which  it  may  move.  The  swim-bladder,  when 
perfectly  distended,  occupies  nearly  the  entire  cavity  of  the  abdomen 
and  contains  a  large  quantity  of  air,  and  in  addition  to  this  there 
is  a  membrane  in  the  mouth  which  can  be  inflated  through  the  gills, 
these  two  reservoirs  of  air  affording  good  substitutes  for  the  air-cells 
so  freely  distributed  within  the  bones  of  birds,  and  having  the  addi- 
tional advantage  of  being  voluntary  in  their  function. 

*'  The  pectoral  fins,  though  so  large  when  expanded,  can  be  folded  into 


THE  PIKE.  573 

an  exceedingly  slender,  neat,  and  compact  form,  but  whether  they  are 
employed  in  swimming  in  the  closed  or  expanded  state  I  have  been  un- 
able to  determine." 

The  ancients  were  well  acquainted  with  the  Flying  Fish,  and  in  their 
narratives  even  improved  upon  its  powers,  as  was  customary  with  the 
voyagers  of  those  days,  and  asserted  that  as  soon  as  night  came  on  this 
fish  left  the  ocean,  flew  ashore,  and  slept  until  morning  safe  from  the 
attacks  of  its  marine  enemies.  The  generic  name  of  Exocmtus — liter- 
ally, "a  sleeper-out" — refers  to  this  supposed  habit.  About  thirty 
species  of  Flying  Fish  are  known,  belonging  mostly  to  the  Mediterra- 
nean Sea,  but  others  occur  in  the  North  Sea  and  the  Atlantic  and  Pa- 
cific Oceans. 

The  fierce  and  voracious  Pike  has  well  earned  its  titles  of  Fresh- 
water Shark  and  Riv^er  Pirate,  for,  though  perhaps  not  one  whit  more 
destructive  to  animal  life  than  the  roach,  gudgeon,  and  other  harmless 
fish,  the  prey  which  it  devours  are  of  larger  size,  and  its  means  of  de- 


The  Pond  or  Common  Pike  (Esox  lucius). 

struction  are  so  conspicuous  and  powerful  that  its  name  has  long  been 
a  byword  for  pitiless  rapacity. 

The  Pike  is  found  in  almost  every  English  river,  and,  although  sup- 
posed to  have  been  artificially  introduced  into  our  country,  has  multi- 
plied as  rapidly  as  any  indigenous  fish.  The  Pike  is  the  master  of  the 
waters  in  which  it  resides,  destroying  without  mercy  every  other  fish 
that  happens  to  come  near  its  residence,  none  seeming  able  to  escape 
except  the  perch,  whose  array  of  sharp  spines  daunts  even  the  voracious 
Pike  from  attempting  its  capture.  As  if  to  show  that  the  Pike  really 
desires  to  eat  the  perch,  and  is  only  withheld  from  so  doing  by  a  whole- 
some dread  of  its  weapons,  there  is  no  better  bait  for  a  Pike  than  a 
young  perch  from  which  the  dorsal  fin  has  been  removed.  It  will  even 
feed  upon  its  own  kind,  and  a  young  Pike,  or  Jack,  as  it  is  then  called, 
of  three  or  four  inches  in  length,  has  little  chance  of  life  if  it  should 
come  across  one  of  its  larger  kindred. 

After  hatching  the  growth  of  the  young  Jack  is  extremely  rapid, 
and,  according  to  Bloch,  it  will  attain  a  length  of  ten  inches  in  the 
first  year  of  its  life.  If  well  fed,  the  growth  of  this  fish  continues  at 
a  tolerably  uniform  rate  of  about  four  pounds  a  year,  and  this  increase 
will  be  maintained  for  six  or  seven  successive  years. 


574  THE  SALMON. 

The  voracity  of  the  Pike  is  too  well  known  to  need  much  comment. 
A  tiny  Jack  of  five  inches  in  length  has  been  known  to  capture  and 
try  to  eat  a  gud^^eon  of  its  own  size,  and  to  swim  about  quite  uncon- 
cernedly with  the  tail  of  its  victim  protruding  from  its  mouth.  Had 
it  been  suffered  to  live,  it  would  probably  have  finished  the  gudgeon  in 
course  of  time,  as  the  head  was  found  to  have  been  partially  digested. 
Three  water-rats  have  been  found  in  the  stomach  of  one  Pike,  accom- 
panied by  the  remains  of  a  bird  too  far  decomposed  to  be  recognizable, 
but  supposed  to  be  the  remnants  of  a  duck.  So  universal  is  the  appe- 
tite of  this  fish  that  it  has  even  been  known  to  seize  the  paste  bait 
which  had  been  used  for  other  and  less  voracious  inhabitants  of  the 
waters. 

When  the  Pike  attains  a  tolerable  size  it  takes  possession  of  some 
particular  spot  in  the  bank,  usually  a  kind  of  hole  or  cave  which  is 
slieltered  by  overhanging  soil  or  roots,  and  aflbrds  a  lair  where  it  can 
lurk  in  readiness  to  pounce  upon  its  passing  prey. 

The  Pike  seems  to  have  no  limit  to  its  size,  for  it  is  a  very  long-lived 
fish,  and  seems  always  to  increase  in  dimensions,  provided  it  be  well 
supplied  with  food.  A  fish  of  ten  or  twelve  pounds  weight  is  consid- 
ered to  be  a  fine  specimen,  though  there  have  been  examples  where  the 
Pike  has  attained  more  than  five  times  the  latter  weight.  These  huge 
fi.-hes  of  sixty  or  seventy  pounds  are,  however,  of  little  value  for  the 
table. 

The  color  of  the  Pike  is  olive-brown  on  the  back,  taking  a  lighter 
hue  on  the  sides,  and  being  variegated  with  green  and  yellow.  The 
al)domen  is  silvery  white. 

The  Salmon  is  undoubtedly  the  king  of  British  river-fish — not  so 
much  for  its  dimensions,  w^hich  are  exceeded  by  one  or  two  giant  mem- 
bers of  the  finny  tribe,  but  for  the  silvery  sheen  of  its  glittering  scales, 
its  wonderful  dash  and  activity,  affording  magnificent  sport  to  the 
angler,  the  interesting  nature  of  its  life  from  the  egg  to  full  maturity, 
and  last,  but  not  least,  for  the  exquisite  flavor  and  nutritive  character 
of  its  flesh. 

In  former  days,  before  civilization  had  substituted  man  and  his 
dwellings  for  the  broad  meadows  and  their  furred  and  feathered  in- 
mates, the  Salmon  was  found  in  many  an  English  river.  Now,  how- 
ever, there  are  but  few  streams  where  this  splendid  fish  can  be  seen, 
for  in  the  greater  number  of  British  rivers  the  water  has  been  so  de- 
filed by  human  agency  that  the  fastidious  Salmon  will  not  suffer  itself 
to  be  poisoned  by  such  hateful  mixture  of  evil  odors  and  polluted 
waters,  and  in  the  few  streams  where  the  water  is  still  sufficiently  pure 
for  the  Salmon  to  venture  into  them,  the  array  of  nets,  weirs,  and  all 
kuids  of  Salmon  traps  is  so  tremendous  that  not  one  tithe  of  the  nor- 
mal number  is  now  found  in  them. 


THE  SALMON.  675 

The  Salmon  is  a  migratory  fish,  annually  leaving  the  sea,  its  proper 
residence,  and  proceeding  for  many  miles  up  rivers  for  the  purpose  of 
depositing  its  spawn.  This  duty  having  been  accomplished,  it  returns 
to  the  sea  in  the  spring.  The  perseverance  of  this  fish  in  working  its 
way  up  the  stream  is  perfectly  wonderful.  No  stream  is  rapid  enough 
to  daunt  it,  nor  is 
it  even  checked 
by  falls.  These 
it  surmounts  by 
springing  out  of 
the  water,  fairly 
passing  over  the 
fall.  Heights  of  - 
i'ourteen  or  fif- 
teen feet  are  con- 
stantly leaped  by  f: 
this  powerful  fish,  l^ 
and  when  it  has  ^ 
arrived  at  the 
higher  and  shal- 
lower parts  of  the 
river  it  scoops  fur- 
rows  in  the  grav-  ^^^  ^^^'^^^  ^^''^'''  ^''^''^- 

elly  bottom,  and  there  deposits  its  spawn.  The  young,  called  "  fry," 
are  hatched  about  March,  and  immediately  commence  their  retreat  to 
the  sea.  By  the  end  of  May  the  young  Salmon,  now  called  "  smolts," 
have  almost  entirely  deserted  the  rivers,  and  in  June  not  one  is  to  be 
found  in  fresh  water.  Small  Salmon  weighing  less  than  two  pounds 
are  termed  "salmon  peel;"  all  above  that  weight  are  called  "grilse." 

The  havoc  wrought  among  Salmon  by  foes  of  every  description  is  so 
enormous  that,  notwithstanding  the  great  fecundity  of  the  fish,  it  is  a 
matter  of  surprise  that  so  many  escape  destruction  ;  for,  although  the 
fish  are  preserved  from  their  human  foes  by  many  stringent  regulations, 
yet  other  foes — such  as  otters,  who  devour  the  large  fish,  and  other  fish, 
who  devour  the  spawn — have  but  little  respect  for  laws  and  regulations. 

While  in  the  rivers  multitudes  of  Salmon  are  annually  caught, 
usually  by  stake  nets,  which  are  capable  of  confining  an  immense 
number  of  fish  at  one  time.  Salmon-spearing  is  a  favorite  amuse- 
ment. This  animated  and  exciting  sport  is  usually  carried  on  by 
torchlight.  The  torches,  when  held  close  to  the  surface  of  the  water, 
illumine  the  depths  of  the  river,  and  render  every  fish  within  their  in- 
fluence perfectly  visible.  The  watchful  spearman,  guided  by  slight 
indications  bearing  no  meaning  to  an  unpractised  eye,  darts  his  un- 
erring spear,  and  brings  up  in  triumph  the  glittering  captive,  writhing 


576 


THE  TROUT  AND  THE  CARP. 


in  vain  among  the  barbed  points.  In  the  northern  rivers  this  destruc- 
tive pursuit  is  carried  on  to  a  great  extent,  more  than  a  hundred  salmon 
being  frequently  taken  in  an  evening.  Anglers  also  find  considerable 
sport  in  using  the  fly  for  this  beautiful  and  active  fish,  whose  strength 
makes  it  no  mean  antagonist. 

Next  to  the  salmon,  the  bright-scaled,  carmine-speckled,  active  Trout 
is  perhaps  the  greatest  favorite  of  anglers,  and  fully  deserves  the  eulogies 
of  all  lovers  of  the  rod,  its  peculiarly  delicate  flesh,  its  fastidious  vora- 
citv,and  the  mixture  of  strength,  agility,  and  spirited  courage  with  which 
it  endeavors  to  free  itself  from  the  hook,  forming  a  combination  of  ex- 
cellences rarely  met  with  in  any  individual  flsli. 

The  Trout  is  found  in  rapid  and  clear-running  streams,  but  cares 
not  for  the  open  and  shallow  parts  of  the  river,  preferring  the  shelter 
of  some  stone  or  hole  in  the  bank,  whence  it  may  watch  for  prey. 
Like  the  pike,  it  haunts  some  especial  hiding-place,  and  in  a  similar 

manner    is    sure   to    take 


possession  of  a  favorable 
haunt  that  has  been  ren- 
dered vacant  by  the  de- 
mise of  its  predecessor  or 
its  promotion  to  superior 
quarters.  Various  baits 
are  used  in  fishing  for 
trout,  such  as  the  worm, 
The  Trout  {Salmo  fario).  the    minnow,  and  the  fly 

both  natural  and  artificial,  the  latter  being  certainly  the  neatest  and 
most  artistic  method.  The  arcana  of  angling  are  not  within  the  prov- 
ince of  this  work,  and  for  information  on  that  subject  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  many  valuable  works  which  have  been  written  by  ac- 
complished masters  of  the  art. 

Though  not  so  brightly  spotted  as  the  trout,  or  so  desperately  active 
when  hooked,  and  very  inferior  in  flesh,  the  Carp  is  yet  in  much  favor 
with  anglers  on  account  of  its  extreme  cunning,  which  has  earned  for 
the  fish  the  name  of  Fox  of  the  Waters.  As  the  number  of  British  fish 
is  so  great  and  our  space  so  small,  it  will  be  needful  to  compress  the 
descriptions  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  omit  everything  that  does  not 
bear  directly  on  the  subject. 

Carp  are  found  in  both  rivers  and  lakes,  and  in  some  places— 
among  which  the  royal  palaces  of  France  may  be  mentioned — will 
often  grow  to  an  enormous  size  and  become  absurdly  tame,  crowding 
to  the  bank  on  the  least  encouragement,  and  poking  their  great  snouts 
out  of  the  water  in  anxious  expectation  of  the  desired  food.  It  is  most 
curious  to  watch  these  great  creatures  swimming  lazily  along,  and  to 
see  how  completely  they  have  lost  the  inherent  dread  of  man  by  the 


THE  GOLD-FISH  AND  THE  BAEBEL.  577 

exercise  of  their  reasoning  powers,  which  tell  them  that  the  once-feared 
biped  on  the  bank  will  do  them  no  harm,  but  in  all  probability  will  be 
the  means  of  indulging  their  appetite  with  favorite  food. 

The  Carp  is  one  of  the  fish  that  retain  life  for  a  lengthened  period 
even  when  removed  from  the  water,  and  if  carefully  packed  in  wet 
moss,  so  as  to  allow  a  free  circulation  of  air,  will  survive  even  for 
weeks.  Anglers  never  seem  sure  of  the  Carp,  taking  plenty  on  one 
day  and  none  at  all  for  a  week  afterward,  the  fish  having  been 
aroused  to  a  sense  of  their  danger,  and  declining  to  meddle  with  any- 
thing that  looks  as  if  it  might  hide  a  hook.  Even  the  net,  that  is  so 
effectual  with  most  fish,  is  often  useless  against  the  ready  wiles  of  the 
Carp,  which  will  sometimes  bury  itself  in  the  mud  as  the  ground-line 
approaches,  so  as  to  allow  the  net  to  pass  over  it,  or,  if  the  ground  be 


The  Carp  {Oyprinus  carpio). 

too  hard  for  such  a  manoeuvre,  will  boldly  shoot  from  the  bottom  of 
the  water,  leap  over  the  upper  edge  of  the  net,  and  so  escape  into  the 
water,  beyond. 

The  beautiful  Gold-fish  [Oyprinus  auratus),  so  familiar  as  a  pet  and 
so  elegant  as  it  moves  round  the  glass  globe  in  which  it  is  usually  kept, 
is  another  member  of  this  large  and  important  genus.  It  seems  to  have 
been  brought  to  this  country  from  China,  and  has  almost  acclimatized 
itself  to  the  cold  seasons  of  England.  Its  habits  and  splendid  clothing 
are  too  well  known  to  need  description. 

Another  well-known  member  of  the  same  genus  is  the  Barbel, 
a  fine  but  not  brilliant  fish,  which  is  common  in  many  of  the  English 
rivers. 

This  fish  may  easily  be  known  by  the  four  fleshy  appendages,  called 
beards  or  barbules,  which  hang  from  the  head,  two  being  placed  on  the 
nose  and  the  other  two  at  each  angle  of  the  mouth.  It  is  one  of  the 
mud-loving  fish,  grubbing  with  its  nose  in  the  soft  banks  for  the  pur- 
pose of  unearthing  the  aquatic  larvse  of  various  insects  which  make 
49  2  M 


578         THE  TENCH  AND  THE  GUDGEON. 

their  liome  in  such  places,  and  being,  in  all  probability,  aided  by  its 
barbules  in  its  search  after  food. 

The  Barbel  is  sometimes  so  sluggish  in  its  movements,  and  so  deeply 
occupied  in  rooting  about  the  bank,  that  an  accomplished  swimmer 
will  occasionally  dive  to  the  bed  of  the  river,  feel  for  the  Barbel  along 
the  banks,  and  bring  them  to  the  surface  in  his  bare  hand.  From  this 
habit  of  grubbing  in  the  mud  the  Barbel  has  earned  the  name  of 
Fresh-water  Pig. 

The  color  of  the  Barbel  is  brown  above  with  a  green  wash,  and 
yellowish  green  on  the  sides.  All  the  scales  have  a  metallic  lustre,  and 
the  cheeks  and  gill-covers  have  also  a  polished  look,  as  if  covered  with 


The  Gold-fish  {Oyprinus  auratus). 

very  thin  bronze.  The  abdomen  is  white.  The  Barbel  is  somewhat 
long  in  proportion  to  its  weight,  which  is  extremely  variable,  seldom, 
however,  exceeding  eleven  or  twelve  pounds. 

The  Tench  is  hardly  so  common  as  the  other  two  species,  preferring 
the  slowest  and  muddiest  rivers,  and  thriving  well  in  ponds  and  lakes, 
or  even  in  clay-pits.  No  water,  indeed,  seems  to  be  too  thick,  muddy, 
or  even  fetid,  for  the  Tench  to  inhabit,  and  it  is  rather  curious  that  in 
such  cases,  even  where  the  fishermen  could  scarcely  endure  the  stench 
of  the  mud  adhering  to  their  nets,  the  fish  were  large-sized  and  of 
remarkably  sweet  flavor. 

In  the  winter  months  the  Tench  is  said  to  bury  itself  in  the  mud, 
and  there  to  remain  in  a  semi-torpid  condition  until  the  succeeding 
spring  tails  it  again  to  life  and  action.  The  color  of  the  Tench  is 
greenish  olive,  darker  above  than  below,  and  with  a  fine  golden  w^ash. 

The  ease  with  which  the  Gudgeon  is  taken  has  passed  into  a  prov- 
erb. This  pretty  little  fish  is  usually  found  in  shallow  parts  of  rivers, 
where  the  bottom  is  gravelly.     If  the  gravel  is  stirred  up,  the  Gudgeons 


THE  BREAM  AND  THE  ROACH.  579 

immediately  flock  to  the  place,  and  a  worm  suspended  amid  the  turbid 
water  is  eagerly  snapped  at  by  them.  The  fishermen  usually  take 
them  in  nets,  and  keep  them  alive  in  well-boats.  They  are  largely 
purchased  as  baits  for  trolling.     The  flesh  of  the  Gudgeon  is  partic- 


The  Gudgeon  [Gohio  fluviatilis). 

ularly  delicate,  and,  although  its  length  rarely  exceeds  seven  inches, 
yet,  from  the  ease  with  which  numbers  can  be  obtained,  it  forms  a  dish 
by  no  means  to  be  despised. 

The  Bream  is  mostly  found  in  large  lakes  or  in  slowly-running 
rivers,  the  lakes  of  Cumberland  being  favorite  resorts  of  this  fish. 
Although  the  flesh  of  the  Bream  is  not  held  in  any  great  estimation, 
being  poorly  flavored  and  very  full  of  bones,  so  that,  in  spite  of  the 
great  depth  of  its  body,  there  is  scarcely  sufficient  flesh  to  repay  the 
trouble  of  cooking,  still,  the  fish  was  formerly  in  much  repute  as  a 
delicacy ;  so  that  either  the  fish  seems  to  have  deteriorated  or  the 
present  generation  to  have  become  more  fastidious.  Spring  and  au- 
tumn furnish  the  best  Bream,  and  the  flesh  can  be  dried,  something 
like  that  of  the  cod-fish. 

The  color  of  the  Bream  is  yellowish  white,  except  the  cheeks  and 
gill-covers,  which  have  a  silvery  lustre  without  any  tinge  of  yellow. 
Sometimes  the  Bream  attains  a  considerable  size,  reaching  a  weight  of 
twelve  or  fourteen  pounds* 

The  last  of  the  three  is  the  Roach,  a  fish  especially  dear  to  scientific 
anglers  on  account  of  its  capricious  habits  and  the  delicate  skill  requir- 
ed to  form  a  successful  roach-fisher. 

An  angler  accomplished  in  this  art  will  catch  Roach  where  one  with- 
out special  experience  would  not  have  a  chance  of  a  bite,  and  will  suc- 
ceed in  his  beloved  sport  through  almost  every  season  of  the  year,  the 
winter  months  being  the  favorites.  So  capricious  are  these  fish,  and 
so  sensitive  to  the  least  change  of  weather,  that  a  single  hour  will 
suffice  to  put  them  off"  their  feed,  and  the  angler  may  suddenly  be 
checked  in  the  midst  of  his  sport  by  an  adverse  breeze  or  change  in 
the  temperature. 

Roach  are  gregarious  fish,  swimming  in  shoals  and  keeping  tolerably 


580    THE  DACE,  CHUB,  BLEAK,  MINNOW,  AND  SUN-FISH. 

close  to  each  other.  It  is  not  a  large  species,  all  over  a  pound  being 
considered  as  fine  specimens,  and  any  that  weigh  more  than  two 
pounds  are  thought  rare.  It  is  a  pretty  fish,  the  upper  parts  of  the 
head  and  body  being  grayish  green  glossed  with  blue,  the  abdomen 
silvery  white,  and  the  sides  passing  gradually  into  white  from  the 
darker  colors  of  the  back.  The  pectoral,  ventral,  and  anal  fins  are 
bright  red,  the  former  having  a  tinge  of  yellow,  and  the  dorsal  and 
tail  fins  are  brownish  red. 

Closely  allied  to  the  roach  is  the  Dace  {Leuciscus  vulgaris),  a  com- 
mon and  small  species  that  inhabits  most  of  our  streams.  The  well- 
known  Chub  [Leuciscus  cephalus)  also  belongs  to  this  genus,  as  does 
the  Bleak  (Leuciscus  alburnus),  in  many  countries  called  the  Tailor 
Blay  by  the  ignorant,  from  the  idea  that  whenever  any  other  fish, 
especially  the  pike,  wounds  its  skin,  it  immediately  seeks  the  aid  of 
the  Bleak,  which  by  rubbing  its  body  against  the  wound  causes  the 
torn  skin  to  close.  The  beautifully  white  crystalline  deposit  beneath 
the  scales  was  much  used  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial  pearls,  hollow 
glass  beads  being  washed  in  the  interior  with  a  thin  layer  of  this  sub- 
stance, and  then  filled  with  white  wax.  The  scales  of  the  w  hitebait 
^  were  also  used  for  the  same  pur- 

^^V  pose.       The    MiKnow  {Leuciscus 

^^^^^^^-  ^   -   -:^^^^J^_j^^^^  phoxiniis)  is  another  member   of 
""^^^^^^^^^B  this  large  genus,  and  is  too  well 

^^Hfe^^S^^^^^^^^^  tognathi,  or  "fixed  jaws,"  because 

^^BBBB^miLj^^fe^^  their  jaws  are  fused  together  and 

^^^^  "^  cannot  be  opened  and  shut. 

^^^^^^  ^®  \ .  ^^1^       ^"^    example    of  this    curious 

B^Bl^t-^  .     -  ^^^2^.^^^^  order    is    the    well-known    Sun- 

The  Sun-fish  {Orihragoriscus  mola).     FISH,  which  looks  just  as   if  the 

head  and  shoulders  of  some  very 
large  fish  had  been  abruptly  cut  off  and  a  fin  supplied  to  the  severed 
extremity. 

Several  specimens  of  this  odd-looking  fish  have  been  captured  in 
British  waters,  and  in  almost  every  case  the  creature  w-as  swimming, 
or  rather  floating,  in  so  lazy  a  fashion  that  it  permitted  itself  to  be 
taken  without  attempting  to  escape.  In  the  seas  where  this  fish  is  gen- 
erally found  the  harpoon  is  usually  employed  for  its  capture,  not  so 
much  on  account  of  its  strength— though  a  large  specimen  will  some- 
times struggle  with  amazing  force  and  fury— but  on  account  of  its 
great  weight,  which  renders  its  conveyance  into  a  boat  a  matter  of 


THE  SUN-FISH. 


581 


some  little  difficulty,  and  the  leverage  acquired  by  the  harpoon  quite 
necessary. 

The  flesh  of  the  Sun-fish  is  white  and  well  flavored,  and  is  in  much 
request  among  sailors,  who  always  luxuriate  in  fresh  meat  after  the 
monotony  of  salted  provisions.  In  flavor  and  aspect  it  somewhat  re- 
sembles that  of  the  skate.  The  liver  of  the  Sun-fish  is  rather  large,  and 
yields  a  very  considerable  amount  of  oil,  which  is  prized  by  the  sailors  as 
an  infallible  remedy  against  sprains,  bruises,  and  rheumatic  affections. 

One  of  the  most  curious  peculiarities  of  this  fish  is  the  structure  of 
the  eye,  which  is  bedded  in  a  mass  of  very  soft  and  flexible  folds  be- 
longing to  the  outer  membranous  coat,  while  it  rests  behind  on  a  sac 
filled  with  a  gelatinous  fluid.  When  the  creature  is  alarmed  it  draws 
the  eye  back  against  the  sac  of  fluid,  which  is  thus  forced  into  the  folds 
of  skin,  and  distends  them  so  largely  as  nearly  to  conceal  the  entire 
organ  behind  them. 

While  swimming  quietly  along,  and  suffered  to  be  undisturbed,  it 
generally  remains  so  near  the  surface  that  its  elevated  dorsal  fin  pro- 
jects above  the  water.  Only  in  warm,  calm  weather  is  it  seen  in  this 
attitude,    and    dur- 

ing  a  stormy  season  tf//'^^/ 

it  remains  near  the 
bed  of  the  sea,  and 
contents  itself  with 
feeding  on  the  sea- 
weeds which  grow 
so  luxuriantly  at 
the  bottom  of  the 
shallower  ocean  wa- 
ters. 

The  color  of  the 
Sun-fish  is  grayish 
brown,  darker  upon 
the   back   than    on 


The  American  Sun-fish  (Pomotis  vulgaris). 


the  sides  of  the  abdomen,  and  the  skin  is  hard  and  rough.  It  often 
attains  a  very  great  size,  one  that  was  harpooned  on  the  equator  meas- 
uring six  feet  in  length.     Several  species  of  Sun-fish  are  known.* 


*As  the  name  of  Sun-fish  is  so  well  known  in  connection  with  one  of  the 
prettiest  and  most  common  American  fishes,  we  insert  the  following  description 
taken  from  Norris's  American  Angler'' s  Book:  "  Body  ovoidal  in  form,  convex  above 
and  below,  but  straight  on  the  belly ;  color  of  body  brown,  with  a  greenish  tint 
above,  with  pale  blue,  waving,  horizontal  lines  on  the  preopercle  and  opercle. 
Opercular  appendix  dark,  with  a  bright  red  blotch  on  its  posterior  margin.  The 
dorsal  fin  has  ten  spines  and  eleven  rays ;  pectorals,  thirteen  rays ;  ventrals,  one 
spine  and  five  rays;  anal,  three  spines  and  ten  rays;  caudal,  seventeen  rays. 
49  * 


582  THE  SEA  HORSE  AND  THE  LAMPREY. 

The  family  of  the  Syngnathidse  is  represented  by  several  British 
species. 

The  Sea  Horse  is  common  in  many  European  seas,  and  is  some- 
times captured  on  the  British  coasts.  In  all  these  fishes  there  is  only 
one  dorsal  fin,  set  far  back,  and  capable  of  being  moved  in  a  marvel- 
lous fashion  that  reminds  the  observer  of  a  screw  propeller,  and  evi- 
dently answers  a  similar  purpose.  The  tail  of  the  Sea  Horse,  stiff  as 
it  appears  to  be  in  dried  specimens,  is  during  the  life  of  the  creature 
almost  as  flexible  as  an  elephant's  proboscis,  and  is  employed  as  a  pre- 
hensile organ,  whereby  its  owner  may  be  attached  to  any  fixed  object. 
The  head  of  the  Sea  Horse  is  wonderfully  like  that  of  the  quadruped 
from  which  it  takes  its  name,  and  the  resemblance  is  increased  by  two 

apparent  ears  that  project  partly  from  the 
sides  of  the  neck.     These  organs  are,  how- 
^^M  ever,  fins,  and  when  the  fish  is  in  an  active 
'MB  mood  are  moved  with  considerable  rapidity. 
M  It  is  rather  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  Sea 
^^  Horse,  like  the  Chameleon,  possesses  the 
power  of  moving  either  eye  at  will  quite 
independently  of  the  other,  and  therefore 
must  be  gifted  with  some  curious  modifi- 
cation in  the  sense  of  sight  which  enables 
it  to  direct  its  gaze  to  difierent  objects  with- 
out confusing  its  vision. 
The  color  of  this  interesting  little  fish  is 
•  light   ashen   brown,   relieved    with    slight 
dashes  of  blue  on   different  parts  of  the 
^  body,  and  in  certain  lights  gleaming  with 
tt  beautiful   iridescent   hues   that   play  over 
gj  its  body  with  a  chanceful  lustre.     About 
.-EA  noii6E  {nippocu7^ipu6^  twcnty  spcclcs  of  Sea  Horses  are  known, 
virostris).  Several  of  which  have  been  exhibited  alive 

in  the  aquarium  at  the  Crystal  Palace. 
The  Cyclostomi,  or  "circular-mouthed   fishes,"  are  represented  by 
several  British  examples. 

The  well-known  Lamprey  and  its  kin  are  remarkable  for  the  wondei 
ful  resemblance  which  their  mouths  bear  to  that  of  a  leech. 
^They  are  all  long-bodied,  snake-like  fish,  and  possess  a  singular  ap- 

Mouth  small,  rather  protractile,  and  armed  with  small,  thickly-set  teeth.  Extreme 
ength  eight  inches.  This  beautiful  little  fish,  associated  in' the  minds  of  all  ang- 
lers  with  the  first  rudiments  of  a  piscatorial  education,  is  known  in  the  Middle  and 
bou  hem  States  as  the  Sun-fish  or  'sunny.'  Yankee  boys  call  them  'Punkin 
oeeas  or  by  the  more  euphonic,  though  appropriate,  name  of  '  Rivers,'  probably 
trom  their  appropriate  shape  for  the  cover  of  a  teacup  or  pickle-jar." 


THE  LAMPREY. 


583 


paratus  of  adhesion,  which  acts  on  the  same  principle  as  the  disc  of  the 
sucking  fish  or  the  ventral  fins  of  the  goby,  though  it  is  set  on  a  differ- 
ent part  of  the  body.  Several  fishes  are  popularly  known  by  the  name 
of  Lamprey,  but  the  only  one  to  which  the  title  ought  properly  to  be 
given  is  that  shown  in  the  engraving. 

The  Lamprey  is  a  sea-going  fish,  passing  most  of  its  time  in  the  ocean, 
but  ascending  the  rivers  for  the  purpose  of  spawning. 

The  flesh  of  the  Lamprey  is  peculiarly  excellent,  though  practically 
unknown  to  the  great  bulk  of  our  population,  and  the  juvenile  student 
in  history  is  always  familiar  with  the  fatal  predilection  of  British  roy- 
alty for  this  fish.  Though  it  spends  so  much  of  its  time  in  the  sea,  it 
is  seldom  captured  except  during  its  visit  to  the  rivers,  and  even  in  that 
case  is  only  in  good  condition  during  part  of  its  sojourn.  Practically, 
therefore,  the  Lamprey  is  less  persecuted  than  most  of  the  finny  tribe 


The  Lamprey  {Petromyson  marinus). 

who  are  unfortunate  enough  to  possess  well-flavored  flesh  and  whose 
excellences  are  publicly  known. 

When  the  Lamprey  deposits  its  spawn  it  is  obliged  to  form  a  hollow 
in  the  bed  of  the  river,  in  which  it  can  leave  the  eggs  in  tolerable  safety, 
and  performs  this  operation  with  great  speed  and  no  small  skill.  The 
fish  is  not  gifted  with  any  great  power  of  fin,  and  cannot  make  much 
head  against  a  sharp  current,  needing  to  rest  at  intervals,  and  for  that 
purpose  fastening  on  to  some  large  stone  over  which  the  stream  has  no 
control. 


084  THE  LAMPERN. 

But  when  it  sets  to  work  upon  its  nursery  it  takes  advantage  of  the 
current  to  help  it  in  its  labors,  and,  by  the  mingled  force  of  the  stream 
and  its  own  muscular  action,  soon  contrives  to  carry  away  the  pebbles 
that  would  interfere  with  the  well-being  of  its  future  young. 

The  process  is  simple  enough.  When  the  Lamprey  has  fixed  on  the 
convenient  spot  to  which  it  is  urged  by  its  unfailing  instinct,  it  surveys 
the  locality  for  a  short  time,  and  then  sets  vigorously  to  work.  Fasten- 
ing itself  to  one  of  the  obnoxious  pebbles,  and  disposing  its  body  so  as 
to  gain  the  strongest  hold  upon  the  rushing  stream,  it  "backs  water" 
with  wonderful  energy,  and  fish  and  stone  are  soon  seen  tumbling 
together  down  the  current. 

In  this  way  the  Lamprey  will  remove  stones  of  such  a  magnitude 
that  a  fish  of  three  times  its  dimensions  would  appear  unable  even  to 
stir  them.  As  soon  as  the  stone  has  been  moved  a  yard  or  two  away 
the  Lamprey  wriggles  its  way  back  again,  and  takes  possession  of 
another  stone.  By  a  repetition  of  this  process  the  hollow  is  soon 
made,  and  the  industrious  fish  is  able  to  deposit  its  eggs  therein. 

The  color  of  the  Lamprey  is  olive-brown,  spotted  and  mottled  with 
dark  brown  and  deep  greenish  olive.  Its  ordinary  length  is  from  six- 
teen to  twenty  inches. 

The  Lampern  is  plentiful  in  many  of  the  English  rivers,  and,  if 
the  generality  of  residents  near  the  water  were  only  aware  of  its 
excellence  for  the  table,  would  soon  be  thinned  in  numbers.  The 
prejudice  that  exists  against  the  eel  and  the  lamprey  is  absolutely  mild 
when  compared  with  the  horror  with  which  the  Lampern  is  contemplated 
in  many  parts  of  England.  Not  only  do  the  ignorant  people  refuse  to 
eat  it,  but  they  believe  it  to  be  actually  poisonous,  and  would  sooner 
handle  an  angry  viper  than  a  poor  harmless  Lampern.  It  is  fortunate 
for  the  fish  that  its  evil  reputation  is  so  widely  and  firmly  established, 
for  under  the  shelter  of  its  name  it  passes  scathless  through  many  a 
stream  from  which  it  would  be  nearly  extirpated  if  its  right  character 
and  good  qualities  were  better  known. 

Granted  the  bad  reputation,  the  creature  certainly  behaves  in  a 
manner  well  calculated  to  strengthen  any  unfavorable  reports  ;  for  as 
soon  as  grasped  it  writhes  about  in  a  viperine,  not  to  say  venomous, 
fashion,  and  is  sure  to  fix  its  sucker  of  a  mouth  on  the  imprisoning 
hand.  Few  uninitiated  captors  can  endure  to  any  further  extent,  and 
when  they  feel  the  cold  lips  pressed  to  the  skin,  and  the  quick  suck  by 
which  the  fish  attaches  itself,  they  generally  utter  a  scream  of  terror 
and  fling  the  Lampern  away  as  far  as  their  arm  can  jerk  it.  Yet  the 
creature  has  no  idea  of  using  its  mouth  as  a  weapon  of  ofl'ence,  and 
when  it  fixes  itself  to  the  hand  is  only  seeking  for  a  point  of  support  as 
a  fulcrum  for  its  struggles. 

Certainly,  it  has  teeth,  and  under  proper  circumstances  can  use  them 


.      THE  MYXINE.  585 

in  the  task  for  which  teeth  were  made,  but  it  seems  to  be  either  unable 
or  unwilling  to  employ  them  as  weapons.  I  have  caught  thousands  of 
these  fish  with  the  bare  fingers,  and  had  six  or  seven  fixed  on  ray  hand 
at  the  same  time,  but  they  never  did  the  least  harm,  and,  though  I  am 
afliicted  with  a  peculiarly  delicate  skin,  they  did  not  leave  even  the  least 
mark  of  their  presence. 

Like  the  sea  lamprey,  it  scoops  hollows  in  the  pebbly  bed  of  some 
stream  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  its  eggs,  and  removes  the  stones  in 
like  manner.  Sometimes  a  pair  of  Lamperns  settle  upon  one  spot, 
and  by  dint  of  tugging  and  hauling  make  a  cradle  for  their  special 
benefit.  But  it  often  happens  that  a  great  number  of  these  fish — fifty 
or  sixty,  for  example — will  settle  themselves  in  the  same  locality,  and 
make  a  hollow  as  large  as  the  rim  of  an  ordinary  pail. 

The  flesh  of  the  Lampern  is  remarkably  excellent,  and  in  many 
places  remote  from  its  habitation  is  in  great  repute,  and  is  indeed  ad- 
mired by  many  who  have  not  the  least  idea  of  the  fish  they  are  eating. 
A  large  part  of  the  *'  eel "  pies  so  famous  in  the  metropolis  is  composed 
of  Lampern  flesh,  and  in  the  opinion  of  competent  judges  the  substitute 
is  better  than  the  reality.  It  can  be  dressed  in  a  variety  of  ways, 
stewing  and  potting  being  the  favorites.  Yet,  as  a  general  rule,  the 
poorer  portion  of  the  community  refuse  to  eat  the  fish,  and  suffer  the 
pangs  of  cruel  hunger  rather  than  avail  themselves  of  the  rich  banquet 
at  their  very  doors. 

The  Myxine,  or  Glutinous  Hag-fish,  is  so  remarkably  worm-like  in 
its  form  and  general  appearance  that  it  was  classed  with  the  annelids 
by  several  authors,  and  was  placed  in  its  proper  position  among  the  fishes 
only  after  careful  dissection. 

The  Myxine  is  seldom  taken  when  at  large  in  the  sea,  but  is  captured 
while  engaged  in  devouring  the  bodies  of  other  fish,  to  which  it  is  a 
fearful  enemy  in  spite  of  its  innocuous  appearance.  It  has  a  custom  of 
getting  inside  the  cod  and  similar  fishes  and  entirely  consuming  the 
interior,  leaving  only  the  skin  and  the  skeleton  remaining.  The  fisher- 
men have  good  reason  to  detest  the  Myxine,  for  it  takes  advantage  of 
the  helpless  state  in  which  the  cod-fish  hangs  on  the  hook,  makes  its 
way  into  the  interior,  and  if  the  fish  should  happen  to  be  caught  at 
the  beginning  of  the  tide  will  leave  but  little  flesh  on  the  bones.  The 
cod  thus  hollowed  are  technically  called  "  robbed  "  fish.  Six  Myxines 
have  been  found  within  the  body  of  a  single  haddock. 

The  name  of  Glutinous  Hag-fish  is  derived  from  the  enormous  amount 
of  mucous  secretion  which  the  Myxine  has  the  power  of  pouring  from 
a  double  row  of  apertures  set  along  the  whole  of  the  under  surface 
from  the  head  to  the  tail. 

Around  the  lips  of  the  Myxine  are  eight  delicate  barbules,  which 
are  evidently  intended  as  organs  of  touch ;  the  mouth   is  furnished 


586  THE  LANCELET. 

with  a  single  hooked  tooth  upou  the  palate,  serving  apparently  as  an 
organ  of  prehension,  and  the  tongue  is  supplied  with  a  double  row  of 
smaller  but  powerful  teeth  on  each  side,  acting  on  the  principle  of  a 
rasp.  The  Myxine  can  scarcely  be  said  to  possess  any  bones,  the  only 
indication  of  a  skeleton  being  the  vertebral  column,  which  is  nothing 
more  than  a  cartilaginous  tube,  through  which  a  probe  can  be  passed  in 
either  direction. 

The  color  of  the  Hag-fish  is  dark  brown  above,  taking  a  paler  tint 
on  the  sides,  and  grayish  yellow  below.  Its  length  is  generally  about 
a  foot  or  fifteen  inches. 

The  last  of  the  fishes  is  a  creature  so  unfishlike  that  its  real  position 
in  the  scale  of  nature  was  long  undecided,  and  the  strange  little  being 
has  been  bandied  about  between  the  vertebrate  and  invertebrate  classes. 
Between  these  two  great  armies  the  Lancelet  evidently  occupies  the 
neutral  ground,  its  structure  partaking  with  such  apparent  equality  of 
the  characteristics  of  each  class  that  it  could  not  be  finally  referred  to 
its  proper  rank  until  it  had  been  submitted  to  the  most  careful  dissec- 
tions. In  fact,  it  holds  just  such  a  position  between  the  vertebrates  and 
the  invertebrates  as  does  the  lepidosiren  between  the  reptiles  and  the 
fishes. 

It  has  no  definite  brain — at  all  events,  it  is  scarcely  better  defined 
than  in  many  of  the  insect  tribe,  and  only  marked  by  a  rather  increased 
and  blunted  end  of  the  spinal  cord.  It  has  no  true  heart,  the  place  of 
that  organ  being  taken  by  pulsating  vessels,  and  the  blood  being  quite 
pale.  It  has  no  bones,  the  muscles  being  merely  attached  to  soft  carti- 
lage, and  even  the  spinal  cord  is  not  protected  by  a  bony,  or  even  horny, 
covering.  The  body  is  very  transparent,  and  is  covered  by  a  soft  deli- 
cate skin  without  any  scales.  There  are  no  eyes  and  no  apparent  ears, 
and  the  mouth  is  a  mere  longitudinal  fissure  under  that  part  of  the  body 
which  we  are  compelled,  for  want  of  a  better  term,  to  call  the  head, 
and  its  orifice  is  crossed  by  numerous  cirrhi,  averaging  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  on  each  side.  Altogether,  it  really  seems  to  be  a  less  per- 
fect and  less  developed  animal  than  many  of  the  higher  molluscs. 

The  general  aspect  of  the  Lancelet  is  not  unlike  that  of  another  fish 
called  the  leptocephalus,  the  delicate  transparent  body  and  the  diagonal 
arrangement  of  the  muscles  causing  a  considerable  resemblance  between 
the  two.  But  the  leptocephalus  is  at  once  distinguished  by  its  head, 
which,  although  very  small  in  proportion  to  the  body,  is  yet  perfect, 
possessing  well-developed  eyes,  gill-covers,  jaws,  and  teeth  ;  whereas 
the  Lancelet  has  no  particular  head,  and  neither  eyes,  gill-covers, 
jaws,  nor  teeth. 


INVERTEBRATE   ANIMALS. 


INVERTEBRATE  ANIMALS, 

MOLLUSCS. 

We  now  come  to  the  second  great  division  into  which  all  animated 
beings  have  been  distinguished.  All  the  creatures  which  we  have  hith- 
erto examined,  however  different  in  form  they  may  be,  the  ape  and  the 
eel  being  good  examples  of  this  external  dissimilarity,  yet  agree  in  one 
point — namely,  that  they  possess  a  spinal  cord  protected  by  vertebrae, 
and  are  therefore  termed  vertebrated  animals. 

But  with  the  fishes  ends  the  division  of  vertebrates,  and  we  now  enter 
upon  another  vast  division,  in  which  there  are  no  true  brain  and  no  ver- 
tebra. These  creatures  are  classed  together  under  the  name  of  inver- 
tebrate animals — a  somewhat  insufficient  title,  as  it  is  based  on  a  nega- 
tive, and  not  on  a  positive,  principle.  Whatever  may  be  its  defects,  it 
has  been  too  long  received,  and  is  too  generally  accepted,  to  be  dis- 
turbed by  a  new  phraseology ;  and,  though  it  be  founded  on  the  ab- 
sence, and  not  on  the  presence,  of  certain  structures,  it  is  concise  and 
intelligible. 

The  first  order  of  invertebrate  animals  is  called  Mollusca — a  name 
given  to  these  creatures  on  account  of  the  soft  envelope  which  surrounds 
their  bodies. 

The  highest  of  the  Molluscs  are  those  beings  which  are  classed  to- 
gether under  the  title  of  Cephalopoda.  This  term  is  derived  from 
two  Greek  words,  the  former  signifying  "  a  head,"  and  the  latter  "  a 
foot,"  and  is  applied  to  these  creatures  because  the  feet — or  arms,  as 
they  might  also  be  called — are  arranged  in  a  circular  manner  round 
the  mouth. 

They  are  all  animals  of  prey,  and  are  furnished  with  a  tremendous 
apparatus  for  seizure  and  destruction.  Their  long  arms  are  furnished 
with  round  hollow  discs  set  in  rows,  each  disc  being  a  powerful  sucker, 
and  when  applied  to  any  object  retaining  its  hold  with  wonderful  te- 
nacity. The  mode  by  which  the  needful  vacuum  is  made  is  simple  in 
the  extreme.  The  centre  of  the  disc  is  filled  with  a  soft,  fleshy  protu- 
b'erance,  which  can  be  withdrawn  at  the  pleasure  of  the  owner.  When, 
therefore,  the  edges  of  the  disc  are  applied  to  an  object,  and  the  piston- 
like centre  withdrawn,  a  partial  vacuum  is  formed,  and  the  disc  adheres 
like  a  cupping-glass  or  a  boy's  leather  sucker. 

These  discs  are  all  under  the  command  of  the  owner,  which  can  seize 
any  object  with  an  instantaneous  grasp,  and  relax  its  hold  with  equal 
50  ^^^ 


590  THE  ARGONAUT. 

celerity.  The  arms  are  movable,  and  as  useful  to  the  Cuttle-fish  as  is 
the  proboscis  to  the  elephant;  for,  besides  answering  the  purposes 
which  have  been  mentioned,  they  are  also  used  as  legs,  and  enable 
the  creature  to  crawl  on  the  ground,  the  shell  being  then  upper- 
most. 

Our  first  example  is  the  celebrated  Argonaut,  or  Paper  Nautilus, 
the  latter  title  being  given  on  account  of  the  extreme  thinness  and  fra- 
gility of  the  shell,  which  crumbles  under  a 
heedless  grasp  like  the  shell  of  an  egg,  and 
the  former  in  allusion  to  the  pretty  fable 
which  was  formerly  narrated  of  its  sailing 
powers.  It  is  rather  remarkable,  by  the 
way,  that  the  shell  of  the  Argonaut  is  dur- 
ing the  life  of  its  owner  elastic  and  yield- 
ing, almost  as  if  it  were  made  of  thin 
horn. 

Argonauta  Papyracea,  in       Two  of  the  arms  of  the  Argonaut  are 
ITS  Shell.  greatly  dilated  at  their  extremities,  and  it 

was  formerly  asserted,  and  generally  believed,  that  the  creature  was 
accustomed  to  employ  these  arms  as  sails,  raising  them  high  above  the 
.shell  and  allowing  itself  to  be  driven  over  the  surface  by  the  breeze, 
while  it  directed  its  course  by  the  remaining  arms,  which  were  suffered 
to  hang  over  the  edge  of  the  shell  into  the  w^ater  and  acted  like  so  many 
oars.  In  consequence  of  this  belief,  the  creature  was  named  the  Ar- 
gonaut, in  allusion  to  the  old  classical  fable  of  the  ship  Argo  and  her 
golden  freight. 

Certainly  the  Argo  herself  could  not  have  carried  a  more  splendid 
cargo  than  is  borne  by  the  shell  of  the  Argonaut  when  its  inhabitant 
is  living  and  in  its  full  enjoyment  of  life  and  health.  The  animal— or 
"  poulp,"  as  it  is  technically  called — is  indeed  a  most  lovely  creature, 
despite  of  its  unattractive  form.  "  It  appeared,"  writes  Mr.  Rang,  when 
describing  one  of  these  creatures  which  had  been  captured  alive,  "little 
more  than  a  shapeless  mass,  but  it  was  a  mass  of  silver,  with  a  cloud 
of  spots  of  the  most  b-autiful  rose-color,  and  a  fine  dotting  of  the  same 
which  heightened  its  beauty.  A  long  semicircular  band  of  ultramarine 
blue,  which  melted  away  insensibly,  was  very  decidedly  marked  at  one 
of  its  extremities — that  is,  of  the  keel.  A  large  membrane  covered 
all,  and  this  membrane  was  the  expanded  velation  of  the  arms,  which 
so  peculiarly  characterizes  the  poulp  of  the  Argonaut. 

"  The  animal  was  so  entirely  shut  up  in  its  abode  that  the  head  and 
base  of  the  arms  only  were  a  little  raised  above  the  edges  of  the  open- 
ing of  the  shell.  On  each  side  of  the  head  a  small  space  was  left  free, 
allowmg  the  eyes  of  the  mollusc  some  scope  of  vision  around,  and  their 
sharp  and  fixed  gaze  appeared  to  announce  that  the  animal  was  watch- 


THE  SEPIA.  691 

I'ng  attentively  all  that  passed  around  it.  The  slender  arms  were  folded 
back  from  their  base  and  inserted  very  deeply  round  the  body  of  the 
poulp,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  fill  in  part  the  empty  spaces  which  the 
head  must  naturally  leave  in  the  much  larger  opening  of  the  shell." 

Mr.  Rang  then  proceeds  to  show  the  real  use  of  the  expanded  arms, 
which  is  to  cover  the  shell  on  its  exterior,  and,  as  has  since  definitely 
been  proved,  to  build  up  its  delicate  texture  and  to  repair  damages, 
the  substance  of  the  shell  being  secreted  by  these  arms,  and  by  their 
broad  expansions  moulded  into  shape. 

The  modes  of  progression  employed  by  the  Argonaut  are  to  the  full 
as  wondrous  as  its  fabled  habits  of  sailing.  Its  progression  by  crawl- 
ing has  already  been  cas- 
ually mentioned.  While 
thus  engaged  the  creature 
turns  itself  so  as  to  rest  on 
its  head,  withdraws  its  body 
as  far  as  possible  into  its 
shell,  and,   usiup^  its   arms  .  ^ 

n.,         1  °1        1       1      X  ArGONAUTA   PaPYRACEA,   SWIMMING. 

like  legs,  creeps  slowly  but  ' 

securely  along  the  ground,  sometimes  affixing  its  discs  to  stones  or  pro- 
jecting points  of  rocks  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  itself  along. 

When,  however,  it  wishes  to  attain  greater  speed  and  to  pass  through 
the  wide  waters,  it  makes  use  of  a  totally  different  ptinciple. 

As  has  already  been  mentioned,  the  respiration  is  achieved  by  the 
passage  of  water  over  the  double  gills  or  branchiae,  the  water,  after  it 
has  completed  its  purpose,  being  ejected  through  a  moderately  long 
tube,  technically  called  the  siphon.  The  orifice  of  the  siphon  is  di- 
rected toward  the  head  of  the  animal,  and  it  is  by  means  of  this  simple 
apparatus  that  the  act  of  progression  is  effected.  When  the  creature 
desires  to  dart  rapidly  through  the  water  it  gathers  its  six  arms  in  a 
straight  line,  so  as  to  afford  the  slightest  possible  resistance  to  the 
water  through  which  it  passes,  keeps  its  velated  arms  stretched  tightly 
over  the  shell,  and  then,  by  violently  ejecting  water  from  the  siphon, 
drives  itself,  by  the  reaction,  in  the  opposite  direction. 

As  the  various  cephalopods  are  so  numerous  as  to  preclude  all  possi- 
bility of  figuring  and  describing  each  species,  we  must  therefore  content 
ourselves  with  a  general  account  of  the  members  of  each  family. 

The  common  Sepia  of  our  own  seas  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the 
chalky  internal  skeleton,  commonly  called  cuttle-bone,  and  much  used 
for  the  manufacture  of  tooth-powder.  This  year  (1875)  I  found  eight 
of  these  bones  on  the  sands  at  Margate,  and  all  within  a  space  of  a  few 
yards  square. 

The  AVp:bbed  Sepia  is  an  inhabitant  of  Greenland,  and  very  rare. 
Its  color  is  violet. 


502 


THE  OCTOPUS. 


The  species  belonging  to  the  family  of  the  Octopodidse,  or  Eight- 
armed  Cuttles,  possess  no  external  shell  like  that  of  the  nautilus,  its 
place  being  taken  by  two  short  styles  or  "  pens"  in  the  substance  of 


The  Common  Sepia  {Sepia  officinalis). 

the  mantle.  There  are  eight  arms,  unequal  in  length,  and  furnished 
with  double  or  single  rows  of  the  suckers  which  have  already  been  de- 
scribed. 

They  are  solitary  beings,  voracious  to  a  degree,  and  so  active  that 

they  find  little  difficulty  in  cap- 
turing their  prey  or  in  escaping 
from  the  attacks  of  their  ene- 
mies. Even  when  pursued  into 
the  narrow  precincts  of  a  rock- 
pool,  the  creature  is  not  easily 
caught.  When  threatened,  or 
if  apprehensive  of  danger,  the 
Polypus,  as  the  animal  was 
formerly  called,  darts  with  ar- 
rowy swiftness  from  one  side 
of  the  pool  to  the  other. 

The  common  Octopus  is  now 
familiar  to  all  those  who  have 
visited     the    great    aquaria    at 

TiTc  Hom^^xr^  (r\ ,  ,      .  ^  Brighton   and  the  Crystal  Pal- 

liiE  Octopus  [Octopus  vulgaris).  °       ,  .,  -^       .. 

ace,    where    its     extraordinary 

movements  and  great  power  of  the  arms  are  well  shown. 

The  family  of  the  Teuthidse,  popularly  known  as  Calamaries,  or 


THE   SQUIDS.  5\)3 

Squids,  are  distinguished  by  their  elongated  bodies,  their  short  and 
broad  fins,  and  the  horny  shell  or  pen  which  is  found  in  their  in- 
terior. All  the  Squids  are  very  active,  and  some  species,  called  Fly- 
ing Squids  by  sailors  and  Ommastrephes  by  systematic  naturalists,  are 
able  to  dash  out  of  the  sea  and  dart  to  considerable  distances. 

The  Little  Squid,  or  Sepiola,  of  which  genus  six  species  are  known, 
inhabits  most  parts  of  the  world  and  lives  on  our  own  shores. 

The  celebrated  "  ink  "  of  these  creatures,  from  which  the  valuable 
color  called  "  sepia  "  was  formerly  obtained,  deserves  a  brief  notice. 

This  substance  is  liquid,  and  is  secreted  in  a  sac  popularly  termed, 
from  its  office,  the  "  ink-bag."  The  sac  is  filled  with  a  spongy  kind  of 
matter,  in  which  the  ink  lies,  and  from  which  it  can  be  expelled  forci- 
bly at  the  will  of  the  animal.  The  ink-bag  is  not  always  in  the  same 
position,  but  some  species  ha.ve  it  in  the  liver,  others  near  the  siphon, 
and  others  among  the  viscera.  There  is  a  communication  between  the 
ink-bag  and  the  siphon,  so  that  when  the  ink  is  ejected  it  is  forcibly 
thrown  out  together  with  the  water.  Thus  the  very  effort  for  escape 
serves  the  double  purpose  of  urging  the  creature  away  from  danger  and 
discoloring  the  water  in  which  it  swims. 

The  animal  can  eject  the  ink  with  such  force  that  it  has  been  known 
to  dedecorate  a  naval  officer's  white  duck  trousers  with  its  liquid  mis- 
sile, the  aggrieved  individual  always  asserting  that  it  took  a  deliberate 
aim  for  that  purpose. 

Generally,  the  animal  throws  out  its  ink  on  the  least  alarm — a  cir- 
cumstance of  some  importance  in  geology.  It  was  discovered  by  Dr. 
Buckland  that  in  many  specimens  of  fossil  cephalopods,  called  scien- 
tifically Geoteuthis — i.  e.,  Earth  Squid — the  ink-bag  remained  in  the 
animal  untouched  by  its  long  sojourn  within  the  earth,  and  even  re- 
tained its  quality  of  rapid  mixture  with  water.  A  drawing  was  act- 
ually made  by  Sir  F.  Chantrey  with  a  portion  of  "sepia"  taken  from 
a  fossil  species,  and  the  substance  proved  to  be  of  such  excellent  quality 
that  an  artist  to  whom  the  sketch  was  shown  was  desirous  of  learning 
the  name  of  the  color-man  who  prepared  the  tint. 

The  curious  skeleton  of  the  Sepia,  popularly  called  "  cuttle-bone," 
is  composed  of  many  tiers  of  tiny  chalk  pillars,  which  can  be  seen  only 
by  the  aid  of  the  microscope. 

Another  order  of  cephalopods  is  called  by  the  name  of  Tetrabranchi- 
ata,  or  Four-gilled  Animals,  because  the  organs  of  respiration  are  com- 
posed of  four  branchiae.  These  creatures  possess  a  very  strong  exter- 
nal shell,  which  is  divided  into  a  series  of  gradually-increasing  com- 
partments connected  together  by  a  central  tube  called  the  siphuncle. 
As  the  animal  grows  it  continues  to  enlarge  its  home,  so  that  its  age 
can  be  inferred  from  the  number  of  chambers  comprising  its  shell. 

In  former  days  these  creatures  w^ere  very  abundant,  but  in  our  day 
60  *  2  N 


594 


THE  CHAMBEKED  NAUTILUS. 


the  only  known  living  representative  is  the  Chambered  or  Pearly 
Nautilus. 

While  the  animal  still  lives  the  short  tubes  that  pass  through  the 
walls  of  the  chambers  are  connected  by  membranous  pipes,  and  even 
in  a  specimen  that  has  long  been  dead  these  connecting-links  hold  their 
places,  provided  the  shell  has  not  been  subjected  to  severe  shocks.  In 
one  of  these  shells  now  before  me,  which  I  have  very  cautiously  opened, 
the  whole  series  of  membranous  tubes  can  be  seen  in  their  places,  black 
and  shrivelled  externally,  but  perfect  tubes  nevertheless. 

The  color  of  the  shell  is  very  beautiful.  The  ground  is  white,  over 
which  are  drawn,  as  with  single  dashes  of  a  painter's  brush,  sundry 

bold  streaks  of  reddish 
chestnut,  mostly  coales- 
cing a])ove,  and  reach- 
ing nearly  to  the  centre 
of  the  spiral.  This  por- 
celain-like material  is, 
however,  only  an  outer 
coat  laid  on  the  real 
pearly  substance  of  the 
shell,  which  is  seen  on 
looking  into  the  hollow 
or  into  any  of  the  cham- 
bers. The  Chinese  avail 
themselves  of  this  double 
coating,  and,  with  the  untiring  perseverance  of  their  laborious  nature, 
take  the  greatest  trouble  to  spoil  the  finest  shells  by  covering  them  with 
their  grotesquely  unperspective  carvings  of  figures  and  landscapes,  cut 
so  as  to  relieve  the  deep  color  of  the  raised  figures  by  the  white,  pearly 
background.  Unlike  the  shell  of  the  argonaut,  which  is  almost  as  frag- 
ile as  if  made  of  sugar,  that  of  the  Nautilus  is  firm  and  strong,  and 
will  bear  a  considerable  amount  of  rough  handling  before  betraying 
any  signs  of  injury. 

The  order  which  now  comes  before  our  notice  is  composed  of  animals 
which  crawl  upon  a  broad  muscular  organ,  termed,  from  its  use,  the 
foot.  It  is  an  enormously  large  order,  containing  all  the  snails,  wheth- 
er terrestrial,  aquatic,  or  marine,  the  whelks,  limpets,  and  similar  ani- 
mals not  so  familiarly  known.  Many  species  are  much  used  as  food, 
while  others  are  of  great  service  in  the  arts,  furnishing  employment  to 
many  hundreds  of  workmen.  As  the  shell  of  these  creatures  consists 
of  one  piece  or  valve  only,  they  are  sometimes  termed  Univalves,  in 
contradistinction  to  the  oysters,  mussels,  scallops,  and  similar  shells, 
which  are  termed  Bivalves,  in  allusion  to  their  double  shell. 

There  is  a  structure  belonging  to  these  animals  which  must  be  de- 


The  Chambered  Nautilus  (Nautilus  Poinpilim). 


THE  THOKNY  WOODCOCK. 


595 


scribed  before  proceeding  further,  inasmuch  as  its  shape  and  compar- 
ative dimensions  often  afford  valuable  indications  by  which  a  species, 
or  even  a  genus,  may  be  distinguished.  This  structure  is  called  "  oper- 
culum," and  its  use,  when  fully  developed,  is  to  close  the  aperture  of 
the  shell  when  the  animal  has  withdrawn  itself  into  the  recesses  of  its 
home. 

The  operculum  can  well  be  seen  in  the  water-snails,  where  it  attains 
its  full  size  and  exactly  fits  the  opening  which  it  is  intended  to  protect. 
The  material  of  which  the  operculum  is  essentially  composed  is  a  horny 
substance,  but  in  some  species  the  horn  is  strengthened  by  layers  of  the 
same  nacreous  matter  which  lines  the  shell,  and  becomes  so  thick  and 
heavy  that  when  found  separate  from  its  owner  it  is  often  mistaken  for 
some  species  of  shell.  The  operculum  is  very  variable  both  in  its 
form  and  comparative  dimensions,  and  even  in  its  presence  or  absence. 
Sometimes  it  is  circular,  like  a  flat  plate,  and  composed  of  concentric 
circles,  while  in  some  species  it  assumes  a  regularly  spiral  form  like  a 
flattened  watch-spring. 

The  shells  that  are  included  in  the  family  of  the  Muricidse  may  read- 
ily be  distinguished  by  the  straight  beak  or  canal  in  front,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  any  such  canal  behind.  All  the  animals  belonging  to  this 
family  are  not  only  carnivorous,  but  rapacious,  preying  on  other  mol- 
luscs, and  destroying  them  with  the  terrible  armature  called  the  tooth- 
ribbon,  which,  when  examined  with  the  microscope,  proves  to  be  a  set 
of  adamantine  teeth,  sharp-edged  and  pointed  as  those  of  the  shark,  and 
cutting  their  way  through  the  hard  shells  of  their  victims  as  the  well- 
known  cordon  saw  passes  through  thick  blocks  of  hard  wood. 

About  one  hundred  and  eighty  species  are  known  to  belong  to  the 
typical  genus,  and 
there  is  hardly  a 
portion  of  the  world 
where  a  Murex  of 
some  kind  may  not 
be  found. 

The  illustration 
represents  the  shell 
which  is  popularly 
known  under  the 
name  of  Thorny 
Woodcock,  the  lat- 
ter title  being  given 
to  it,  in  common  with  several  of  its  congeners,  on  account  of  its  long 
beak,  which  is  thought  to  bear  some  resemblance  to  that  of  the  wood- 
cock, and  the  former  in  allusion  to  the  vast  number  of  lengthened 
spines  or  thorns  which  are  arranged  regularly  over  its  surface.     It 


The  Thorny  Woodcock  {Murex  tenuv^pinis). 


596 


THE  VENUS'S  COMB  AND  THE  WHELK. 


has  also  received  the  equally  appropriate  and   more  poetical  name 
of  Venus's  Comb. 

This  shell  is  found  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  varies  greatly  in  dimen- 
sions, four  or  five  inches  being  about  the  average  length.  It  is  evident 
that,  as  nothing  is  ever  made  in  vain  or  to  be  wasted,  the  wonderful 
array  of  external  spines  must  play  some  important  part  in  nature,  if 
not  in  the  economy  of  the  particular  species.  But  what  that  part  may 
be,  and  what  may  be  the  object  of  these  beautiful  structures,  is  a  prob- 
lem which  seems  almost  insoluble — at  all  events,  with  our  present  means 
of  discovery. 

The  color  of  the  shell  is  very  pale  brown,  each  ridge  being  slightly 
tuberculated  and  edged  with  white.  The  spines  are  uniform  drab  or 
very  pale  brown,  with  an  almost  horny  translucence. 

We  now  arrive  at  another  and  rather  larger  family,  of  which  the 
common  Whelk  is  a  familiar  example. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  carnivorous  of  our  molluscs,  and  among  the 
creatures  of  its  own  class  is  as  destructive  as  the  lion  among  the  herds 

of  antelopes.  Its  long  tongue, 
armed  with  row  upon  row  of 
curved  and  sharp-edged  teeth, 
harder  than  the  notches  of  a  file 
and  keen  as  the  edge  of  a  lancet, 
is  a  most  irresistible  instrument 
when  rightly  applied,  drilling  a 
circular  hole  through  the  thickest 
shells  as  easily  as  a  carpenter's 
centre-bit  works  its  way  through 
a  deal  board. 
The  front  of  the  tongue  often  has  its  teeth  sadly  broken,  or  even 
wanting  altogether,  but  their  place  is  soon  supplied  by  others,  which 
make  their  way  gradually  forward,  and  are  brought  successively  into 
use  as  wanted.  As  a  general  rule,  there  are  about  a  hundred  rows  of 
teeth  in  the  Whelk's  tongue;  each  row  contains  three  teeth,  and  each 
tooth  is  deeply  cleft  into  several  notches,  which  practically  gives  the 
creature  so  many  additional  teeth. 

Vast  quantities  of  Whelks  are  taken  annually  for  the  markets,  and 
are  consumed  almost  wholly  by  the  poorer  classes,  who  consider  them 
m  the  light  of  a  delicacy.  They  are,  however,  decidedly  tough  and 
stringy  in  texture,  and,  like  the  periwinkle,  which  is  also  largely  eaten, 
are  not  particularly  digestible.  The  mode  of  taking  these  molluscs  is 
very  sunple.  Large  wicker  baskets  are  baited  with  the  refuse  portions 
of  fish  and  lowered  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  by  ropes.  The  ever-hungry 
Whelks  instinctively  discover  the  feast,  crowd  into  the  basket  by  thou- 
sands, and  are  taken  by  merely  raising  the  laden  basket  to  the  surface 


The  Whelk  (Buccinum  undalum). 


THE  IMPERIAL  HARP-SHELL  AND   THE  MAGILUS.       597 

and  emptying  it  into  a  tub.  Sometimes  the  Whelk  is  captured  by  the 
dredge,  but  the  baited  basket  is  the  quickest  and  surest  method.  Be- 
sides its  use  as  an  article  of  human  consumption,  it  is  sometimes  em- 
ployed by  the  fishermen  as  bait  for  their  hooks. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  have  observed  on  the  seashore  considerable 
masses  of  little  yellowish  capsules,  mostly  empty,  and  so  light  as  to  be 
drifted  on  the  surface  of  the  sea  like  so  many  masses  of  corks.  These 
are  the  empty  egg-cases  of  the  Whelk.  At  the  proper  season  of  the 
year,  when  the  unhatched  egg-clusters  are  flung  on  the  shores  bv  the 
gales,  the  little  Whelks  can  be  discovered  within  the  capsules,  several 
shells  being  found  in  each  case.  Later  in  the  season  the  egg-capsules 
will  be  seen  to  be  split  open  at  one  end,  so  as  to  allow  the  young  to 
escape. 

When  hatched  the  young  escape  into  the  sea  through  a  round  hole 
in  the  capsule. 

The  sweeping  curv^es,  broad  swelling  lip,  and  regular  ridges  of  the 
next  genus  of  shells  have  earned  for  them  the  popular  title  by  which 
they  are  known. 

About  nine  or  ten  species  belong  to  this  pretty  genus,  some  of  which 
are  rare  and  costly.  The  Imperial  Harp-shell,  which  is  represented 
in  the  engraving  on  this  page,  is  still  a 
valuable  shell,  but  in  former  days,  when 
the  facilities  of  commerce  were  far  less 
than  at  present,  it  could  be  purchased 
only  at  a  most  extravagant  rate. 

The  Harp-shells  are  found  only  in  the 
hottest  seas,  and  are  taken  mostly  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mauritius,  Ceylon,  and  the 
Philippine  Islands.  They  frequent  the 
softer  and  more  muddy  parts  of  the  coast, 
and  prefer  deep  to  shallow  water.  None 
of  the  Harp-shells  possess  the  operculum. 

The  color  of  the  Imperial  Harp-shell  is 
pale  chestnut  and  white,  with   a  dash  of 
yellow,  arranged  in  tolerably  regular  and       Imperial  Hakp-shell 
slightly   spiral    bands.  (^'"'^^  imperialis).  ^ 

One  of  the  strangest,  though  not  the  most  beautiful,  of  shells  is  th'e 
Magilus,  a  native  of  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Mauritius. 

For  the  purpose,  apparently,  of  carrying  out  some  mysterious  object, 
the  Magilus  resides  wholly  in  masses  of  madrepore,  and  in  its  early 
youth  is  a  thin,  delicate  shell  without  anything  remarkable  about  it 
As  it  advances  in  age  it  enlarges  in  size,  as  is  the  case  with  most  crea- 
tures, but  its  growth  is  confined  to  one  direction,  and  instead  of  enlarg- 
ing in   diameter  it  merely  increases   in  length.      The  cause  of  the 


598 


THE  CONE-SHELLS  AND  THE  COWRIES. 


continual  addition  made  to  its  length  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the 
growth  of  the  madrepore  in  which  it  is  sheltered,  and  which  would 
soon  enclose  the  Magilus  within  its  stony  walls  did  not  the  mollusc 
provide  against  such  a  fate  by  lengthening  its  shell  and  taking  up  its 
residence  in  the  mouth. 

The  most  curious  point,  however,  in  the  economy  of  the  Magilus  is 
that  as  fast  as  it  adds  a  new  shell  in  front  it  fills  up  the  cavity  behind 
with  a  solid  concretion  of  shelly  matter,  very  hard  and  of  an  almost 
crystalline  structure,  so  as  to  leave  about  the  same  amount  of  space  as 
in  the  original  shell.  The  animal  is  always  to  be  found  in  the  very 
front  of  the  shelly  tube,  and  closes  the  aperture  with  a  strong  operculum 
that  effectually  shields  it  against  all  foes. 

We  now  pass  to  the  Cone-shells,  or  Conidse,  a  family  so  called  on 
account  of  their  form.  All  the  Cones  have  a  similar  external  outline  : 
the  aperture  is  long  and  narrow,  the  head  of  the  living  animal  is  more 
or  less  lengthened,  the  foot  is  splay  and  abruptly  cut  off  in  front,  the 
tentacles  are  rather  widely  separate,  and  the  eyes  are  placed  upon  these 
organs. 

The  Textile  Cone-shell  comes  from  the  Mauritius.  This  hand- 
Bome  species  is  about  four  or  five  inches  in  length  and  its  markings  are 
curiously  disposed,  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  say 
which  is  the  ground-color.  The  dark,  narrow,  an- 
gular lines  are  dark  brown,  accompanied  by  white, 
and  variegated  by  dashes  of  yellow  umber.  The 
bold  triangular  spots  are  pure  white,  and  the  inside 
of  the  shell  is  of  the  same  color. 

The  Admiral  Cone,  in  common  with  the  other 
members  of  tlie  genus,  haunts  the  fissures  and  holes 
in  rocks  and  the  warmer  pools  in  coral  reefs.  They 
all  take  a  moderate  range  of  depth,  varying  from 
one  to  forty  fathoms. 

We  now  come  to  the  family  of  the  Cowries,  or 
Cyprseidse.  All  the  Cowries  are  lovers  of  the  shal- 
low waters  near  shore,  and  are  carnivorous  in  their 
habits,  feeding  mostly  upon  the  numerous  zoophytes 
that  inhabit  the  same  coasts.  These  shells  change 
their  forms  in  a  truly  remarkable  manner.     When 

(cl!rL':;^//?sr''  ^''"''^  ^^^  '^^^^  ^'  ""^^^  ^'^^  *^^*  ^^  ^  ^^^"*^'  ^^'''"^ 

'a  prominent  spire  and  a  rather  wide-spreading  lip, 
but  in  process  of  time  the  lobes  of  the  mantle  expand  over  it  on  either 
side,  and  by  degrees  deposit  so  thick  a  layer  of  smooth,  shining  sub- 
stance that  the  spire  is  entirely  hidden.  The  pale  streak  which  gen- 
erally exists  along  the  back  of  the  Cowries  indicates  the  line  where  the 
edges  of  the  mantle  nearly  meet. 


THE  SEA  SNAILS. 


599 


This  little  Cowry  is  so  well  known  as  to  need  no  description. 
The  celebrated  Money  Cowry  ( Cyprcea  monetd)  belongs  to  this  genus. 
These  little  w^iite  shells  are  well  known  as  being  the  medium  of  barter 
in  many  parts  of  Western  Africa,  and  vast  multitudes  are  gathered 
from  their  homes  in  the  Pacific  and  Eastern  seas,  and 
imported  into  this  country  for  the  purpose  of  imme- 
diate exportation  to  the  African   coast.      Sixty  tons 
weight   of   Money  Cowries  has  been   freighted  at  a 
single  British  port  in  one  year. 

The  grooved  or  wrinkled  edges  of  the  lip  are  well 
known  to  every  one  who  has  handled  a  Cowry,  and 
these  ridges  assume  a  remarkable  development  in  the 
Deep-toothed  Cowry.  The  color  of  this  shell  is 
extremely  variable,  but  is  mostly  a  mottled  wood- 
brown,  sometimes  diversified  with  bands,  and  dark 
inside.     It  is  not  a  very  large  species. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  vast  army  of  shells  called  the 
Sea  Snails,  and  distinguished  by  having  the  edges 
of  the  aperture  without  notches,  the  shell  spiral  or  The  Admiral 
limpet-shaped,  and  the  operculum  either  horny  or  ^^fy^rcdk)  "^ 
covered  with  hard,  smooth,  shelly  matter. 

One  of  the  most  curious  of  these  shells  is  the  Spined  Neritina.  The 
operculum  is  shelly,  with  a  flexible  border,  and  has  some  small  teeth 
on  its  straight  edge.  All  the  Neritinse  are  globular  in  their  general 
shape,  darkly  spotted  or  banded  with  black  and  purple,  and  covered 
with  a  polished  bone-like  epidermis.  The  color  of  the  Spined  Neritina 
IS  deep  green-black  on  the  exterior  and  blackish  white  within.  The 
shell  is  thick  and  solid  at  the  aperture,  but  becomes  thinner  toward 
the  interior. 

In  the  family  of  the  Turritellidse  the  shell  is  either  tubular  or  spiral ; 

the  aperture  is  not  waved,  notched,  or 
formed  into  canals ;  the  foot  is  very 
small,  the  muzzle  is  short,  and  the 
eyes  sunk  rather  deeply  into  the  base 
of  the  tentacles. 

The  Staircase  or  Precious  Wen- 
TLETRAP  was  iu  former  days  one  of 
the  scarcest  and  most  costly  of  the 
specimens  of  which  a  conchologist's 
cabinet  could  boast.  There  was  hard- 
ly any  sum  which  a  wealthy  connois- 
seur— or  virtuoso,  as  the  fashion  was 
then  to  call  those  who  were  fond  of  natural  history — would  not  give 
for  an  especially  large  and  perfect  example  of  this  really  pretty  shell. 


The  Money  Cowry  {Cyprcea 
moneta). 


600       THE  WENTLETRAP  AND  THE  PHEASANT-SHELLS. 

Now,  however,  its  glory  has  departed,  for  a  tolerably  good  specimen 
may  be  procured  for  a  few  shillings,  and  a  Wentletrap  which  would  a 
few  years  ago  have  been  sold  for  fifty  pounds  can  now  be  purchased 
for  fifteen  shillings. 

Putting  aside,  however,  the  question  of  rarity  or  cost,  this  shell  is  a 
verv  interesting  one,  both  for  its  beauty  and  for  the  mode  of  its  con- 
struction. It  is  purely  white  and  partly  transparent,  the  elevated 
ridf'es  being  of  a  more  snowy  white  than  the  body  of  the  shell,  on  ac- 
count of  their  superior  thickness,  which  does  not  permit  the  light  to 
pass  through  them,  as  in  the  case  of  the  thinner  body.  The  whorls  of 
this  shell  are  separate  from  each  other  and  apparently  bound  together 
only  by  the  projecting  ridges,  so  that  the  general  appearance  is  as  if  a 
long  conical  tube  had  been  loosely  coiled  and  each  whorl  kept  in  its 
place  l)y  a  succession  of  shelly  elevations.  This  beautiful  shell  is  found 
in  the  Indian  and  Chinese  seas. 

The  Common  or  False  Wentletrap,  is  a  species  tolerably  plentiful 
upon  our  coasts. 

In  this  shell  the  whorls  are  united  together  and  furnished  with  a 
number  of  circular  elevations,  which,  however,  are  not  nearly  so  bold 
as  those  of  the  preceding  species,  but  thick  in  proportion  to  their  height, 
set  obliquely  on  the  shell,  and  smooth. 

We  now  arrive  at  another  family,  termed  the  Litorinidse,  or  Shore 
Molluscs,  because  the  greater  number  of  them  frequent  the  coasts  and 
feed  upon  the  various  algse.  The  shell  is  always  spiral  and  never 
pearly,  by  which  latter  characteristic  it  may  be  distinguished  from 
certain  shells  belonging  to  another  family,  but  somewhat  similar  in 
external  appearance.  The  aperture  is  rounded.  The  animal  has 
its  eye  set  at  the  outer  base  of  the  tentacles,  and  the  foot  is  remarkable 
for  a  longitudinal  groove  along  the  sole,  so  that  in  the  act  of  walking 
each  side  advances  in  its  turn.  The  tongue  is  rather  long,  and  is  armed 
with 'a  formidable  series  of  sharp  teeth  that  serve  admirably  for  the 
purpose  of  scraping  away  the  vegetable  matter  on  which  the  animal 
feeds.  The  operculum  is  horny  and  rather  spiral.  The  common 
Periwinkle  (Litorina  litorea)  is  the  most  familiar  example  of  this 
family,  and  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  detailed  description.  The 
Periwinkle  is  found  upon  our  rocks  in  great  profusion,  occupying  the 
zone  between  high  and  low  water  and  always  being  found  near  the  edge 
of  the  tide. 

In  former  days  the  Pheasant-shells  were  articles  of  great  price 
and  rarity,  some  specimens  almost  rivalling  the  precious  wentletrap 
in  the  enormous  sums  asked  and  obtained  for  them.  Now,  however, 
that  their  habitations  have  been  discovered  and  more  frequent  voy- 
ages are  made,  they  have  become  comparatively  plentiful,  although, 
irom  the  fragility  of  their  structure,  a  perfect  specimen  is  not  at 


THE  TOP  AND  THE  LIMPET.  601 

all  common,  and  will  still  bring  a  good  price  in  the  conchological 
market. 

The  Pheasant-shells  are  now  found  in  great  numbers  on  the  sandy- 
beaches  of  several  shores,  being  especially  plentiful  on  the  coast  of 
Port  Western,  in  Bass's  Straits.  The  high  tide  sweeps  them  toward  the 
shore,  where  they  are  left  by  the  receding  waters,  and  seek  for  shelter 
beneath  the  masses  of  seaweed  that  are  always  flung  on  the  beacb  by 
the  tide.  On  lifting  these  sheltering  weeds,  the  Pheasant-shells  may- 
be found  crowded  together  under  their  wet  fronds.  They  can  move 
with  some  speed,  the  duplicate  nature  of  the  foot  aiding  them  greatly 
in  progression. 

The  well-known  Top  is  one  of  the  most  plentiful  species  of  the  Brit- 
ish coasts,  and  may  be  found  by  hundreds  either  crawling  among  the 
seaweeds  at  low  water  or  flung  upon  the  sands  by  the  tide.  The  shell 
of  this  creature  is  beautifully  pearly,  and  when  the  outer  coating  is  re- 
moved the  iridescent  nacre  below  has  a  very  lovely  appearance.  Jew- 
ellers and  lapidaries  employ  these  shells  largely  in  their  art,  polishing 
them  carefully  and  then  stringing  them  together,  so  as  to  form  brace- 
lets and  necklaces,  or  affixing  them  as  ornaments  to  various  head- 
dresses. 

The  well-known  univalves,  so  familiar  under  the  name  of  Limpets, 
are  divided  into  several  families,  on  account  of  certain  variations  in 
the  structure  of  the  shell.  The  first  family  is  termed  Fissurellidie,  on 
account  of  the  fissure  which  appears  either  at  the  apex  or  in  the  front 
edge  of  the  shell. 

All  the  Limpets  are  strongly  adhesive  to  rocks,  as  is  well  known  by 
every  one  who  has  tried  to  remove  one  of  these  molluscs  from  the  stony 
surface  to  which  it  clings.  The  means  by  which  the  animal  is  able  to 
attach  itself  with  such  firmness  is  analogous  to  the  mode  in  which  the 
suckers  of  the  cuttle-fish  adhere  to  the  objects  which  they  seize — the 
formation  of  a  vacuum,  and  the  consequent  pressure  of  the  atmosphere, 
being  the  means  employed.  The  foot  of  the  Limpet  is  rounded,  broad, 
thick,  and  powerful  ;•  and  when  the  animal  wishes  to  cling  tightly  to 
any  substance,  it  presses  the  foot  firmly  upon  the  surface  and  retracts 
its  centre,  while  its  edges  remain  affixed  to  the  rock.  A  partial  vac- 
uum is  therefore  formed,  and  the  creature  becomes  as  firmly  attached 
to  the  rock  as  a  boy's  leathern  sucker  to  the  stone  on  which  he  has 
pressed  it. 

We  now  come  to  the  curious  family  of  molluscs  appropriately  called 
Chitonidog,  or  mail-shells,  because  their  shells  are  jointed  together  like 
the  pieces  of  plate-armor.  When  separated  from  each  other  the  plates 
bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  joint  of  a  steel  gauntlet,  and  overlap 
each  other  in  a  similar  fashion,  a  thick  and  strong  mantle  taking  the 
place  of  the  leather.     There  are  eight  of  these  plates,  and  all  of  them 

51 


602 


THE  MARBLED  CHITON  AND  THE  SNAIL. 


Chiton  Magnif- 

ICUS. 


have  a  somewhat  saddle-like  shape.  A  similar  arrangement  may  be 
observed  in  the  lower  abdominal  plates  of  many  beetles.  Each  of 
these  plates  is  fixed  to  the  mantle  by  certain  rounded  processes  from 
their  front  edge,  and  when  the  plates  are  examined  separately  the 
processes  will  be  plainly  seen,  white  and  pearly  as 
the  interior  of  the  shell. 

The  Chitons  are  able  to  roll  themselves  up  in  a 
partial  kind  of  manner,  and  present  a  curious  re- 
semblance to  the  well-known  armadillo  or  pill- 
woodlouse. 

The  Marbled  Chiton  is  a  rather  prettily-colored 
shell,  its  exterior  being  rusty  red  mixed  with  brown 
and  yellow  and  edged  with  brown. 

Passing  from  the  sea  to  the  land,  we  come  to  those 
Gasteropods  which  breatlie  atmospheric  air,  and  are 
furnished  with  respiratory  organs  suited  to  the  ele- 
ment in  which  they  live. 
The  first  family  is  that  of  the  Snails,  or  Helicidse,  containing  a  vast 
number  of  species.  Most  of  the  Snails  have  a  shell  large  enough  to 
permit  the  animal  to  withdraw  itself  wholly  into  the  protecting  domicile. 
The  genus  Helix,  which  is  universally  accepted  as  the  type  of  .this 
family,  is  of  enormous  extent,  both  in  numbers  and  in  range  of  locality, 
containing  more  tlian  fourteen  hundred  species  and  spread  over  nearly 
the  whole  earth. 

Our  present   example  is  the   common  Snail,  which  is   even   now 
largely  consumed  in   many 
parts  of  the  world,  and  is 
regularly  fed  and   fattened 
for  that  purpose. 

It  is  thought  a  delicacy 
by  those  who  are  sufficiently 
strong-minded  to  eat  it,  and 
it  is  quite  common  to  see, 
even  in  Paris,  the  poorer 
orders  dressing  their  dinner 
of  snails  on  an  iron  plate 
heated  over  burning  char- 
coal. 

An    allied     species,    the 
Edible     Snail    {Helix    po- 
matla),  was  introduced  into  England  by  the  Romans,  and  still  exists 
in  many  places. 

Toward  the  end  of  autumn  the  Snail  ceases  to  feed,  withdraws  itself 
to  some  sheltered  spot,  mostly  under  grass,  moss,  or  dried  leaves,  and 


The  Common  Snail  {Helix  aspersa). 


THE  GREAT  GRAY  SLUG  AND  THE  POND-SNAIL.        603 

then  sets  about  making  its  winter  habitation.  This  process  is  very 
curious,  and  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Bell  : 

"A  large  quantity  of  very  viscid  mucus  is  secreted  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  foot,  to  which  a  layer  of  earth  or  dead  leaves  adheres ; 
this  is  turned  on  one  side,  and,  a  fresh  secretion  being  thrown  out,  the 
layer  of  earth  mixed  with  mucus  is  left.  The  animal  then  takes 
another  layer  of  earth  on  the  bottom  of  the  foot,  turns  it  also  to  the 
part  where  he  intends  to  form  the  wall  of  his  habitation,  and  leaves  it 
in  the  same  manner,  repeating  the  process  until  the  cavity  is  sufficiently 
large,  and  thus  making  the  sides  smooth,  even,  and  compact.  In  form- 
ing the  dome  or  arch  of  the  chamber  a  similar  method  is  used,  the 
foot  collecting  on  its  under  surface  a  quantity  of  earth,  and  the  animal, 
turning  it  upward,  leaves  it  by  throwing  out  fresh  mucus ;  and  this  is 
repeated  until  a  perfect  roof  is  formed. 

"  As  I  have  very  often  watched  this  curious  process,  I  am  certain  of 
the  facts.  On  removing  very  carefully  the  portion  of  the  roof  soon 
after  its  completion,  I  was  enabled  to  see  the  formation  of  the  opercu- 
lum. In  about  an  hour,  or  even  less,  the  whole  surface  of  the  collar 
of  the  mantle  instantaneously  pours  out  the  calcareous  secretion  in 
considerable  quantity. 

"  This  is  at  first  a  fluid  or  thick  cream,  but  very  soon  acquires 
exactly  the  consistence  of  birdlime,  being  excessively  adhesive  and 
tenacious,  and  in  about  an  hour  after  it  is  poured  out  it  is  perfectly 
solid." 

We  now  arrive  at  the  great  family  of  Limacidse,  or  Slugs,  a  race 
of  beings  which  many  a  gardener  doubtless  wishes  extinct. 

In  these  creatures  the  foot  and  body  are  indistinguishable  from  each 
other ;  the  head  is  retractile,  and  the  whole  creature  can  be  gathered 
into  a  short  rounded  mass,  looking  so  like  a  pebble  that  it  would  escape 
a  casual  glance.  At  the  first  view  the  Slugs  appear  to  be  destitute  of 
shell,  but  on  a  closer  examination  the  shell  is  found  upon  the  fore 
part  of  the  body,  and  either  entirely  or  "partly  buried  beneath  the 
integuments. 

The  Great  Gray  Slug  is  the  largest  of  the  British  species,  and 
when  furnished  with  abundant  food  on  which  it  can  fatten  itself  during 
the  night,  and  a  secure  hiding-place  whither  it  can  retreat  during  the 
day,  often  attains  an  enormous  size. 

The  Water  Snails  are  represented  by  the  common  Pond-snail,  or 
LiMNiEA.  In  all  the  members  of  this  family  the  shell  is  thin,  and 
suflficiently  capacious  to  contain  the  entire  animal  when  it  desires  to 
withdraw  itself  into  its  home.  The  aperture  is  simply  rounded,  with- 
out notches  or  ridges,  and  the  lip  is  sharp. 

It  may  be  found  plentifully  in  nearly  all  streams  where  the  water  is 
not  polluted  and  the  current  not  very  swift.     I  have  generally  found 


604 


THE  DORIS,  THE  EOLIS,  AND  THE  HYALEA. 


that  the  back  eddies  of  "  lashers"  are  favorite  haunts  of  various  Water 

Suails. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  very  remarkable  series  of  molluscs,  which  have 
been  separated  by  systematic  naturalists  into  a  distinct  section  appro- 
priately called  Nudibranchidse,  or  Naked-gilled  Molluscs,  because  their 
gills  are  always  external  and  placed   on  the 
back  or  sides  of  the  animals. 

The  common  Doris  is  a  native  of  our 
own  shores.  All  the  members  of  the  family 
to  which  this  creature  belongs  may  be  known 
by  the  plume-like  gills  set  in  a  circle  on  the 
middle  of  the  back,  like  the  feathery  coronet 
with  which  the  Blackfoot  Indian  adorns  the 
head  of  his  horse,  and  the  two  tentacles  placed 
more  toward  the  front.  In  the  skin  are  im- 
bedded a  vast  number  of  little  spiculse. 
The  beautiful  Eolis  is  common  ou  our  own 

\l  ,|  coasts,  and  may  be  seen  moving  over  the  plants 
'I  and  stones  with  tolerable  activity  and  always 
keeping  the  tentacles  and  papillae  in  motion, 
sometimes  contracting  and  sometimes  extend- 
ing them,  while  the  movement  of  the  water 
The  Shell  of  Water  causes  them  to  wave  in  a  very  graceful  man- 
Snail  (Lu/maasia^ua/<6-).  ner.  These  papillse  possess  the  property  of 
discharging  a  milky  kind  of  fluid  when  the 
animal  is  irritated.  The  fluid,  however,  is  quite  harmless — at  all  events, 
to  the  humau  skin.  As  in  the  previous  case,  the  papillse  are  liable  to 
fall  off  at  a  touch. 

A  small  but  important  group  of  molluscs  now  comes  before  us.  This 
is  the  Pteropoda,  or  Wing-footed  Molluscs,  so  called  from  the  fin-like 
lobes  that  project  from  the  sides,  and  are  evidently  analogous  to  the 
similar  organs  in  some  of  the  sea-snails.  These  appendages  are  used 
almost  like  wings,  the  creature  flapping  its  way  vigorously  through  the 
water,  jii.st  as  a  butterfly  urges  its  devious  course  through  the  air.  They 
are  found  in  the  hotter  seas,  swimming  boldly  in  vast  multitudes  amid 
the  wide  waters,  and  one  species  {Clioborealis)  has  long  been  celebrated 
as  furnishing  the  huge  Greenland  whale  with  the  greater  part  of  its 
subsistence. 

The  Hyalea  is  remarkable  not  only  for  the  two  wide  fins  which  are 
found  in  all  the  family  to  which  it  belongs,  but  for  the  long  appendages 
which  pass  through  certain  apertures  in  the  shell  and  trail  behind  as 
the  creature  proceeds  on  its  course.  The  wings  are  united  by  a  nearly 
semicircular  lobe. 

The  Cleodora  is  a  very  beautiful  and  interesting  animal,  of  which 


THE  CLEODOEA,   THE  OYSTER,   AND  THE  SCALLOP.      605 

Mr.  F.  D.  Bennett  writes  as  follows  :  "On  that  part  of  the  body  which 
is  lodged  in  the  apex  of  the  shell  there  is  a  small,  globular,  pellucid 
body  resembling  a  vesicle,  and  which  at  night  emits  a  luminous  gleam 
sufficiently  vivid  to  be  visible  even  when  it  is  opposed  to  the  strong 
light  of  a  lamp.  It  is  the  only  example  of  a  luminous  shell-fish  I  have 
ever  met  with  ;  nor  would  the  luminosity  of  this  species  be  of  any  avail 
did  not  the  shell  possess  a  structure  so  vitreous  and  transparent.  Exam- 
ples were  captured  chiefly  at  night  or  in  the  evening." 

The  next  great  group  of  molluscs  is  that  which  is  known  by  the 
technical  term  of  Conchifera.  In  them  each  valve  corresponds  with 
the  right  or  left  side. 

In  the  first  family,  of  which  the  common  Oyster  is  a  very  familiar 
instance,  the  two  valves  are  unequal 
in  size,  and  the  animal  inhabits  the 
sea.  The  Oyster  is  too  well  known 
to  need  description,  but  it  may  be  men- 
tioned that  practical  naturalists  have  for 
some  years  been  carefully  studying  its 
habits  for  the  purpose  of  breeding  the 
valuable  molluscs  artificially,  and  so  of 
securing  a  constant  supply  throughout 
the  four  months  of  the  year  during  OvsTERs^O^-m  eduUs). 
which  the  creature  is  out  of  condition. 

In  this  country  the  system  is  being  gradually  carried  out,  but  in  France 
it  is  developed  to  a  very  large  extent  and  with  great  success. 

The  next  family  are  termed  wing-shells,  or  Avicularid^e,  because  the 
apices — or  "  umbones,"  as  they  are  called — are  flattened  and  spread  on 
either  side,  something  like  the  wing  of  a  bird.  The  interior  of  the 
valves  is  pearly,  and  the  exterior  layer  is  composed  of  a  kind  of 
mosaic-work  of  five-  or  six-sided  particles.  This  structure  is  easily 
to  be  seen  by  means  of  a  moderately-powerful  simple  lens  merely  by 
holding  up  a  scallop  or  other  shell  before  the  window,  so  as  to  allow 
the  light  to   pass  through  it. 

The  common  Scallop  is  found  along  our  southern  coasts  and  in  the 
seas  of  Europe.  This  shell  was  formerly  used  as  the  badge  of  a  pilgrim 
to  the  Holy  Land  : 

"  His  pilgrim's  staff  he  bore. 
And  fix'd  the  Scallop  in  his  hat  before." 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  in  the  stomach  of  a  common  Scallop  is 
found  an  earthy  deposit  which,  when  boiled  in  nitric  acid  in  order  to 
dissolve  the  animal  and  other  portions,  exhibits,  under  a  powerful 
microscope,  animalcules  precisely  similar  to  those  which  in  a  fossil  state 
form  the  earth  on  which  the  town  of  Richmond,  in  America,  is  built. 

61  * 


606 


THE  PEAKL  OYSTEK. 


The  well-known  Pearl  Oyster  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
shell-bearing  molluscs,  furnishing  the  greater  part  of  the  pearls  that 
are  set  by  jewellers  and   worn  by  ladies. 

The  pearls  are  secreted  by  the  animal  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as 

the  nacre  of  the  shell,  and  are, 
indeed,  the  same  substance, 
formed  into  a  globular  shape 
and  disposed  in  concentric  lay- 
ers, so  as  to  give  that  peculiar 
translucency  which  is  quite 
indescribable,  but  is  known 
among  jewellers  by  the  name 
of  "water." 

The  Pearl  Oyster  does  not 
produce  its  costly  harvest  un- 
der six  or  seven  years  of  age, 
and  it  is  therefore  a  matter  of 
importance  that  the  bed  should 
be  so  managed  that  the  young 
Oysters  may  be  suffered  to  re- 
main in  peace  until  they  have 
attained  an  age  which  renders  them  capable  of  repaying  the  expense 
of  procuring  them,  and  that  no  part  of  the  bed  should  be  harried 
where  the  Oysters  are  too  small  to  produce  pearls. 

The  Oysters  are  now  obtained  by  means  of  men  who  are  trained  to 


The  Scallop  [Pecten  jacobeus). 


Outside  of  Shell.  Inside  of  Shell. 

Pearl  Oyster  {Meleagrina  Margaritifera), 
the  business,  and   who  can  remain  under  water  for  a  considerable  time 
without  being  drowned.     p:ach   diver  takes  with  him  a  net-bag  for  the 
purpose  of  holding  the  Oysters,  puts  his  foot  into  a  stirrup  to  which 
hangs  a  stone  weighing  about  thirty  pounds,  and  after  taking  a  long 


THE  MUSSEL,  THE  COCKLE,  AND  THE  EAZOR-SHELL.       607 


breath  is  carried  swiftly  to  the  bottom.  He  then  flings  himself  on  his 
face,  fills  his  bag  as  fast  as  he  can,  and  when  his  breath  begins  to  fail 
shakes  his  rope  as  a  signal,  and  is  drawn  up  together  with  the  bag. 

We  now  come  to  the  large,  useful,  and  even  beautiful,  family  of  the 
Mussels. 

The  Edible  Mussel,  so  common  in  the  fishmonger's  shop  and  the 

costermouger's  barrow,  is  found  in  vast  profusion  on — "^ts,  where 

it  may  be  seen  moored  to  rocks,  stones,  and 
fibres,  alternately  covered  with  water  or  left 
dry  according  to  the  flowing  and  ebbing  of 
the  tide.  At  some  periods  of  the  year  the 
Mussel  is  extremely  injurious  as  an  article 
of  food,  though  the  effects  seem  to  depend 
greatly  on  the  constitution  of  the  partaker. 
Attempts  have  successfully  been  made  to  prop- 
agate the  breed  of  mussels,  and  the  vast 
plantations,  as  they  may  be  called,  of  these 
creatures  have  increased  to  such  an  extent 
that  they  threaten  to  obliterate  several  usei'ul 
bays  for  all  maritime  purposes. 

The  family  of  the  Cockles,  or  Cardiadse, 
so  called  from  their  heart-like  shape,  is  well 
represented  by  the  common  Cockle  (^Cardhcm 
edi(le)  of  our  British  shores.  Generally,  the 
Cockle  is  a  marine  animal,  but  it  sometimes 
prefers  brackish  water  to  the  salt  waves  of 
the  ocean. 

This  mollusc  frequents  sandy  bays  and  re- 
mains about  lowMvater 

mark,  burying  itself  in 

the  sand   by  means  of 

the  powerful  foot,  which  enables  it  to  leap  to  a 

surprising  height. 

We    now    come  to  the  well-known    Solenid?e, 

or  Razor-shells,  so  called  on  account  of  their 

shape. 

These  curious  molluscs  always  live  buried  in  the 

sand  in  an  upright  position,  leaving  only  an  open- 
ing shaped  like  a  keyhole,  which  corresponds  with  the  two  siphon  tubes. 
These  creatures  are  generally  found  at  a  depth  of  one  or  two  feet, 
and  w^hen  they  make  their  burrows,  as  they  are  often  in  the  habit  of 
doing,  among  the  rocks,  not  even  the  hooked  iron  can  draw  them  from 
their  retreat. 

We  next  come  to  the  Pholas,  the  best  example  of  which  is  the  com- 


The  MrssEL  {Mytihis 
E(hdis). 


The  Cockle  {Cardium 
edule). 


608 


THE  PIDDOCK  AND  THE  SHIP- WORM. 


mou  species  popularly  called  Piddock,  and  found  in  profusion  along 

the  seacoast. 

The  common  Piddock  may  be  found  in  vast  numbers  m  every  sea- 


The  Common  Razor-shell  {Solen  vagina). 
covered  chalk  rock,  into  which  it  has  the  gift  of  penetrating  so  as  to 
})rotect  itself  from  almost  every  foe. 

Mr.  Woodward  remarks,  very  justly,  that  the  "condition  of  the  Pho- 

lades  is  always  related  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  material  in  which  they 
are  found  burrowing ;  in  soft  sea- 
beds  they  attain  the  largest  size 
and  greatest  perfection,  whilst  in 
hard,  and  especially  gritty,  rock 
they  are  dwarfed  in  size,  and  all 
prominent  points  and  ridges  ap- 
pear worn  by  friction.  No  notice 
is  taken  of  the  hypothesis  which 
ascribes  the  perforation  of  rocks, 
etc.,  to  ciliary  action,  because,  in 
fact,  there  is  no  current  between 
the  shell,  or  siphon,  and  the  wall 
of  the  tube."  As  soon  as  the  ani- 
mal has  completely  buried  itself 
it  ceases  to  burrow,  and  only  pro- 
jects the  ends  of  the  siphon  from 
the  aperture  of  the  tunnel. 

Allied   to    the    preceding   mol- 
luscs is  the  Ship-w^orm,  so  called  from  its  depredations  on  the  bottoms 
of  ships  and  all  submerged  wooden  structures ;  it  is  found  in  most  seas, 
and    on    our    own 
coasts   works  fear- 
ful     damage      by 
eating    into    piles, 
planks,     or     even 
loose     wood     that 
lies   tossing    about 
in  the  ocean. 

Wlien  removed  from  the  tube  the  Ship-worm  is  seen  to  be  a  long  grav- 
ish-white  animal,  about  one  foot  in  length  and  half  an  inch  in  thickness. 


I'uK  PiDDocK  {Pkolas  dactybm). 


The  Ship-worm  [Teredo  navalis). 


POLYZOA. 


609 


At  one  end  there  is  a  rounded  head,  and  at  the  other  a  forked  tail. 
The  burrow  which  the  creature  forms  is  either  wholly  or  partially 
lined  with  shell,  and  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  Ship-worm  and 
its  mode  of  burrowing  gave  Sir  I.  Brunei  the  idea  of  the  Thames  Tunnel. 


POLYZOA. 

The  very  remarkable  beings  which  now  come  before  our  notice  are 
appropriately  termed  Polyzoa,  from  two  Greek  words  signifying  "  many 
animals,'*  because  a 
large  number  of  in- 
dividuals are  massed 
together  in  groups 
of  various  forms  and 
textures. 

The  true  animal 
nature  of  these  and 
many  other  beings 
which  had  been  for- 
merly classed  among 
the  vegetables  was  at 
length  fairly  proved 
by  the  researches  of 
two  eminent  men, 
Trembley  and  Ellis, 

the    latter    of    whom  ^'  ^<*'^«''<^«^^«  lorica.      B.   Catenieella  hastata.      C.   Cateni- 

,  ,    .  ,  ce^^a  corniita.      D.   Calpidinm  ornatum.      E.  Saliconiaria 

may  lay  claim  to  the       fardminoides.      F.   Celhdaria  Peachii.      G.  Menipea  Fu- 

honor  of  having  pro-     fl"'*"*^**  (mouth  of  a  cell). 

duced  the  best  and  most  comprehensive  work  of  his  time. 

Fig.  A  is  an  example  of  one  of  these  beings,  the  Little  Chain,  or 
Breastplate,  one  of  those  creatures  that  are  so  plentiful  in  the  sea, 
and  are  popularly  called  zoophytes.  This  figure  is  of  the  natural  size ; 
but  in  order  to  show  the  peculiarities  of  structure,  two  examples  of 
species  belonging  to  the  same  genus  are  given  as  they  appear  when 
considerably  magnified.  Fig.  B  is  the  Catenieella  hastata^  wherein  are 
seen  the  shape  of  the  cells,  the  form  of  their  mouths,  the  method  in 
which  they  give  out  their  branches,  and  the  peculiar  organs  called 
technically  "  avicularia  "  and  "  vibracula,"  the  former  being  processes 
that  in  many  species  bear  an  almost  absurdly  close  resemblance  to  the 
heads  of  birds  ;  and  the  latter,  curious  hair-like  projections  which  move 
regularly  backward  and  forward  as  if  impelled  by  machinery. 

The  members  of  the  present  genus  are  found  most  commonly  in  the 
Australian  seas,  seldom  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  while  in  the  north- 
ern hemisphere  they  are  almost  entirely  unknown.     Many  specimens 

20 


610 


POLYZOA. 


have  been  taken  from  Bass's  Straits  at  a  depth  of  forty-five  fathoms.  As 
a  general  rule,  however,  the  Polyzoa  prefer  the  shallower  waters,  and 
are  most  commonly  found  a  little  below  low-water  mark. 

Fig.  C  is  another  species  belonging  to  the  same  genus,  and  is  remark- 
able for  the  long  pointed  spines  that  project  from  the  margin,  like  a 
pair  of  cow's  horns.  In  allusion  to  this  peculiarity  it  is  called  Cateni- 
cella  cornuta. 

At  Fig.  D  is  shown  another  curious  polyzoon,  termed  Calpidium  or- 
natum,  also  found  in  Bass's  Straits,  at  the  same  depth  as  the  preceding 
species.  A  magnified  figure  is  given  in  order  to  show  the  singular 
method  -of  its  construction. 

An  example  of  the  typical  genus  of  this  family  is  given  at  Fig.  E, 
where  the  Salicoriiaria  farciminoldes  is  represented  of  the  natural  size. 

We  now  arrive 
at  another  family, 
the  Cellularidse, 
where  the  general 
shape  resembles 
that  of  the  pre- 
ceding family,  but 
/  ^'iM.'^i^^mm^'Hm^i^^mm^^      /^p^    the    cells,   instead 

I"  '^iWr'"  ^^SfSr.K'-\'^f^^m^^&    J^^^  ^    bemg  arranged 

X  <---^/    ^^^^      '     ^^^^^m  .^f  round     an     imag- 

inary axis,  and  so 
forming  cylindri- 
cal branches,  are 
on  the  same  plane. 
Fig.  F  is  a  mag- 
nified example  of 
this  family,  the 
Cellularia  Peachii, 
so  called  in  honor 
of  the  eminent  nat- 
uralist, Mr.  Peach. 
At  Fig.  G  is 
shown  the  mouth 
of  a  single  cell  be- 
longing to  the  ge- 
nus Menipea,  found  in  Terra  del  Fuego,  and  termed,  from  its  habitat, 
Menipea  Fuguensis.  The  object  of  giving  this  example  is  to  show  the 
curious  "  operculum "  which  closes,  or  rather  guards,  the  mouth  of 
the  cell,  and  in  this  genus  is  in  the  form  of  a  simple  spike.  This 
species  is  found  at  low-water. 

Every  one  who  has  walked  along  the  seashore  must  have  observed 


Sea  Mat  [Flustra  foliacea). 


POLYZOA.  611 

the  pretty  leaf-like  Sea  Mats  strewn  on  the  beach,  and  admired  the 
wonderful  regularity  of  their  structure,  perceptible  to  the  naked  eye; 
but  when  magnified,  even  by  a  pocket  lens,  their  beauty  increases  in  pro- 
portion to  the  power  employed,  and  the  marvellous  arrangement  of  the 
cells  and  the  orderly  system  in  which  they  are  placed  are  almost  beyond 
belief.  Beautiful,  however,  as  they  are  in  this  state,  they  are  but  the 
dead  and  lifeless  habitations  of  the  creatures  who  built  the  wondrous 
cells,  and  the  only  method  of  showing  the  Sea  Mat  in  its  full  glory  is 
to  take  a  living  specimen  from  the  stone  or  shell  to  which  it  is  affixed, 
and  watch  it  under  the  microscope  while  the  creatures  are  still  in  full 
activity.  In  the  illustration  is  shown  a  portion  of  the  common  Sea 
Mat,  sometimes  called  the  Hornwrack. 


INSECTS. 

The  Insects,  to  which  we  must  devote  a  few  pages,  afford  the  first 
examples  of  the  Articulata— z.  e.,  the  jointed  animals  without  vertebrae. 
Their  bodies  are  composed  of  a  series  of  rings,  and  they  are  separated 
into  at  least  two,  and  mostly  three,  portions,  the  head  being  distinct 
from  the  body.  They  pass  through  a  series  of  changes  before  attaining 
the  perfect  form ;  and  when  they  have  reached  adult  age  they  always 
possess  six  jointed  legs,  neither  more  nor  less,  and  two  antennae,  popu- 
larly called  horns  or  feelers. 

In  most  instances  their  preliminary  forms,  technically  called  the 
larva  and  pupa,  are  extremely  unlike  the  perfect  Insect,  but  there  are 
some  in  which,  at  all  events  externally,  they  retain  the  same  shape 
throughout  their  entire  life.  The  whole  of  the  growth  takes  place  in 
the  preliminary  stages,  so  that  the  perfect  insect  never  grows,  and  the 
popular  idea  that  a  little  Insect  is  necessarily  a  young  one  is  quite 
incorrect. 

Insects  breathe  in  a  very  curious  manner.  They  have  no  lungs  or 
gills,  but  their  whole  body  is  permeated  with  a  network  of  tubes, 
through  which  the  air  is  conveyed,  and  by  means  of  which  the  blood 
is  brought  into  contact  with  the  vivifying  influence  of  the  atmosphere. 
These  breathing-tubes,  technically  called  tracheae,  ramify  to  every 
portion  of  the  creature  and  penetrate  to  the  extremities  of  the  limbs, 
the  antennae,  and  even  the  wings  when  those  organs  exist.  Their 
external  orifices  are  called  spiracles,  and  are  set  along  the  sides. 

They  have  very  little  internal  skeleton,  the  hard  materials  which 
protect  the  soft  vital  organs  being  placed  on  the  exterior,  and  forming 
a  beautiful  coat-of-mail,  so  constructed  as  to  defend  the  tender  portions 
within,  and  yet  to  permit  perfectly  free  motion  on  the  part  of  the 
owner. 

There  are  many  other  interesting  points  in  the  structure  of  the 
Insects,  such  as  the  eyes,  the  wings,  the  tracheae,  etc.,  which  will  be 
described  in  the  course  of  the  following  pages. 

The  first  order  is  called  the  Coleoptera — a  word  of  Greek  origin, 
signifying  Sheathed-winged  Animals — and  includes  all  those  insects 
which  are  more  popularly  known  under  the  title  of  Beetles.  In  these 
msects  the  front  pair  of  wings  are  modified  into  stout  horny  or  leathery 
cases,  under  which  the  second  pair  of  wings  are  folded  when  not  in  use. 
The  hmder  pair  of  wings  are  transparent  and  membranous  in  their 
structure,  and  when  not  employed  are  arranged  under  the  upper  pair, 
technically  called  the  ^ytra,  by  folds  in  two  directions,  one  being  longi- 
tudinal and  the  other  transverse.  The  mouth  is  furnished  with  jaws, 
otten  of  considerable  power,  which  move  horizontally. 


THE  TIGER  BEETLE. 


613 


Passing  over  the  details  of  classification,  we  come  to  the  first  family 
of  Insects,  scientifically  called  the  Cicindelidse,  and  popularly  known  by 
the  names  of  Tiger  Beetles  and  Sparklers,  both  titles  being  very 
appropriate,  the  former  on  account  of  their  exceeding  voracity,  their 
ferocious  habits,  and  the  wonderful  activity  of  their 
movements,  and  the  latter  in  allusion  to  the  bril- 
liancy of  their  coloi*s  as  they  flash  along  in  the 
sunshine.  These  Beetles  are  represented  by  several 
British  species,  among  which  the  common  Tiger 
Beetle  (^Cicindela  campestris)  is  the  most  common, 
and  perhaps  the  most  beautiful.  Well  does  this 
little  creature  deserve  its  popular  name ;  for  what 
the  dragon-fly  is  to  the  air,  what  the  shark  is  to  the 
sea,  the  Tiger  Beetle  is  to  the  earth,  running  with 
such  rapidity  that  the  eye  can  hardly  follow  its 
course;  armed  wdth  jaws  like  two  reapers*  sickles 
crossing  each  other  at  the  points ;  furnished  w^ith  The  Tiger  Beetle 
eyes  that  project  from  the  sides  of  the  head  and  {Cicindela  campes- 
permit  the  creature  to  see  in  every  direction  with-  ^'''^^* 
out  turning  itself;  and,  lastly,  gifted  with  agile  wings  that  enable  it 
to  rise  in  the  air  as  readily  as  a  fly  or  a  wasp.  Moreover,  it  is  cov- 
ered with  a  suit  of  mail,  gold-emboss- 
ed, gem-studded,  and  burnished  with 
more  than  steely  brightness,  light  yet 
strong,  and,  though  yielding  freely  to 
every  movemer*  yet  so  marvellously 
jointed  as  to  leave  no  vulnerable 
points  even  when  in  full  action,  and, 
in  fine,  such  a  suit  of  armor  as  no 
monarch  ever  possessed  and  no  artist 
ever  conceived. 

Even  in  its  larval  state  the  Tiger 
Beetle  is  a  terror  to  other  insects, 
snapping  them  up  as  they  pass  by  its 
burrows,  and  dragging  them  into  the 
dark  recesses  of  the  earth  to  be  de- 
voured. Several  American  species  in- 
habit trees,  and  are  quite  as  destruc- 
tive among  the  branches  as  their  con- 
geners upon  the  earth. 

The  British  Tiger  Beetle  is  remark- 
able for  exuding  a  powerful  scent  much  resembling  the  odor  produced 
by  a  crushed  verbena-leaf. 

A  very  large  and  important  family  of  Beetles,  the  Carabidse,  now 

52 


The  Violet  Ground  Beetle 

{Carabiis  violacem). 


614 


THE  GROUND  AND  WATER  BEETLES. 


comes  before  us,  which  is  represented  in  England  by  very  many  species, 
the  common  Ground  Beetles  being  familiar  examples. 

Of  the  typical  genus  of  this  family  we  take  the  Violet  Ground  Beetle 
(Carabus  violaceus)  as  an  example. 

This  fine  Beetle  is  plentiful  in  this  country,  and  may  be  found  in 
gardens,  gravel-pits,  and  similar  localities.  It  is  said  to  be  especially 
common  in  the  midland  counties. 

The  elytra  are  rather  convex  and  narrowed  at  the  shoulder,  and  are 
fiuely  granulated — i.  e.,  covered  with  minute  rounded  projections.  They 
are  black,  but  the  margins  are  edged  with  a  band  of  coppery  or  golden 
violet,  sometimes  warming  into  purple.  The  body  is  black  beneath. 
The  disc  of  the  thorax  is  black  and  the  margins  are  violet,  and  the 
head  is  black.     The  length  of  the  beetle  is  about  an  inch. 

The  members  of  this  genus  are  almost  wholly  inhabitants  of  tem- 


The  Water  Beetle  {Dyticus  dimklUUas). 
perate  climates,  and  it  has  been  stated  that  scarcely  any  species  are  to 
be  found  within  thirty  degrees  from  the  equator  on  either  side. 

We  now  come  to  the  large  group  of  Water  Beetles,  which  are  di- 
vided  mto  several  families. 


THE  KOVE  BEETLE.  615 

la  order  to  enable  them  to  perform  the  various  movements  which  are 
necessary  for  their  aquatic  existence,  their  hind  legs  are  developed  into 
oars  with  flattened  blades  and  stiff  hairy  friuges,  and  the  mode  of  res- 
piration is  slightly  altered  in  order  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  sur- 
rounding conditions.  It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  in  all  insects 
the  respiration  is  conducted  through  a  series  of  apertures  set  along  the 
sides,  and  technically  called  spiracles.  In  the  Water  Beetles  the  spira- 
cles are  set  rather  high,  so  as  to  be  covered  by  the  hollowed  elytra,  and 
to  be  capable  of  breathing  the  air  under  those  organs.  When,  there- 
fore, the  beetle  dives  it  is  in  no  ways  distressed  for  want  of  air,  as  it 
carries  a  tolerable  supply  beneath  the  elytra.  When,  however,  that 
supply  is  exhausted,  the  beetle  rises  to  the  surface,  just  pushes  the  ends 
of  the  elytra  out  of  the  water,  takes  in  a  fresh  supply  of  air,  and  again 
seeks  its  subaquatic  haunts. 

The  male  of  the  Great  Water  Beetle,  in  common  with  other  species, 
is  specially  notable  for  the  singular  development  of  the  fore  legs,  the 
tarsi  of  which  are  developed  in  a  most  extraordinary  apparatus  caused 
by  the  dilatation  of  the  three  first  joints,  which  are  flattened  so  as  to 
form  a  nearly  circular  disc,  covered  on  its  under  surface  with  a  multi- 
tude of  wonderfully-constructed  suckers,  one  being  very  large,  another 
about  half  its  size,  and  the  others  very  small  and  set  on  pear-shaped 
footstalks. 

Passing  by  several  large  and  interesting  families,  we  come  to  the  cu- 
rious creatures  which  will  at  once  be  recognized  by  reference  to  the  il- 
lustration on  page  616.  These  beetles  are  popularly  known  by  the 
name  of  Rove  Beetles,  or  Cocktails,  the  latter  name  being  given  to 
them  on  account  of  their  habit  of  curling  up  the  abdomen  when  they 
are  alarmed  or  irritated.  The  common  Black  Cocktail  has  so  diabol- 
ical an  aspect  when  it  assumes  this  attitude,  standing  its  ground  de- 
fiantly with  open  jaws  and  elevated  tail,  that  the  rustics  generally  call 
it  the  Devil's  Coach-horse.  It  has,  moreover,  the  power  of  throwing 
out  a  most  disgusting  odor,  which  is  penetrating  and  persistent  to  a 
degree,  refusing  to  be  driven  off  even  with  many  washings. 

These  beetles  are  termed  Staphylinidse,  or  Brachelytra,  the  latter 
term  signifying  "  short  elytra,"  and  being  a  very  apposite  name,  as  the 
elytra  are  short,  square,  and  not  more  than  one-fourth  tlie  length  of 
the  abdomen.  If  we  watch  one  of  these  beetles  settling  after  its  flight, 
we  shall  see  the  object  of  its  flexible  tail.  The  wings  are  so  large  and 
the  elytra  so  small  that  the  process  of  folding  the  delicate  membranes 
could  not  be  completed  without  some  external  aid.  When  the  insect 
alights  it  suddenly  furls  its  wings  into  loose  folds,  and  then,  by  means 
of  its  tail,  it  pushes  the  wings  under  the  elytra,  which  are  then  shut 
down.  This  process,  although  rather  elaborate,  is  effected  in  a  very 
rapid  manner. . 


616 


THE  BURYING  BEETLE. 


Next  to  the  Staphylinidse  are  placed  some  insects  that  have  become 
quite  famous  for  their  curious  and  valuable  habits.  These  are  the  Nec- 
rophaga,  popularly  and  appropriately  termed  Burying  Beetles. 

It  is  owing  to  the  exertions  of  these  li|;tle  scavengers  that  the  carcases 
of  birds,  small  mammals,  and  reptiles  are  seldom  seen  to  cumber  the 

ground,        being 
"~     buried       at       a 
depth  of  several 
inches,         where 
they  serve  to  in- 
-^  crease     the    fer- 
=[^^  tility       of      the 
^^-"^  earth  instead  of 
tainting   the  pu- 
rity of  the  atmo- 
sphere.        These 
beetles  may  eas- 
ily  be    captured 
by  laying  a  dead 
I^  mouse,         mole, 
Jr  bird,      frog,     or 
Tr  even  a  piece  of 
"^  meat,      on     the 
ground,  and 

marking  the 

spot,  so  as  to  be 


The  Kove  Beetle  (Ocypus  olens). 


able  to  find   the 
place    where     it 

had  been  laid.  It  will  hardly  have  remained  there  for  a  couple  of 
hours  before  some  Burying  Beetle  will  find  it  out  and  straightway  set 
to  work  at  its  interment.  The  plan  adopted  is  by  burrowing  under- 
neath the  corpse  and  scratching  away  the  earth,  so  as  to  form  a  hollow, 
into  which  the  body  sinks.  When  the  beetles  have  worked  for  some 
time  they  are  quite  hidden,  and  the  dead  animal  seems  to  subside  into 
the  ground  as  if  by  magic. 

The  strength  and  perseverance  of  these  beetles  are  so  great  that  a  very 
short  time  suffices  to  bury  the  creature  completely  below  the  ground, 
and,  the  earth  being  scraped  over  it,  the  process  is  complete.  The 
object  of  burying  dead  animals  is  to  gain  a  proper  spot  wherein  to  de- 
posit their  eggs,  as  the  larvae,  when  hatched,  feed  wholly  on  decaying 
animal  substance. 

We  now  come  to  the  Lamellicorn  Beetles,  so  called  from  the  beauti- 
ful plates,  or  lamellae,  which  decorate  the  antennse.  This  family  in- 
cludes a  vast  number  of  species,  many  of  which— as,  for  example,  the 


THE  COCKCHAFER  AND  THE  STAG  BEETLE. 


617 


Commou  Cockchafer — are  extremely  hurtful  to  vegetation  in  both  the 
larval   and  adult  form.     In  this  family  are  found  the  most  gigantic 
specimens  of  the  Coleoptera,  some  of  which  look  more  like  crabs  than 
beetles,  so  huge  are  they  and  so  bizarre  are  their 
shapes.     In  all  these  creatures  the  lamellae  are 
larger  and  more  beautiful  in  the  female  than  in 
the  male  insect. 

The  Common  Cockchafer  is  too  familiar  to 
need  any  description  of  its  personal  appearance, 
but  the  history  of  its  life  is  not  so  widely  known 
as  its  aspect.  The  mother-beetle  commences  op- 
erations by  depositing  the  eggs  in  the  ground, 
where  in  good  time  the  young  are  hatched.  The 
grubs  are  unsightly-looking  objects,  having  the 
end  of  the  body  so  curved  that  the  creatures  can-  The  Burying  Beetle 
not  crawl  in  the  ordinary  fashion,  but  are  obliged  ^^'^'<'P^^''^'  vestigator). 
to  lie  on  their  sides.  They  are  furnished  with  tw^o  terribly  trenchant 
jaws  like  curved  shears,  and  immediately  set  to  work  at  their  destruc- 
tive labors. 

They  feed  mostly  upon  the  roots  of  grasses  and  other  plants,  and 
when  in  great  numbers  have  been  known  to  ruin  an  entire  harvest.  To 
turf  they  are  especially  destructive,  shearing  aw^ay  the  roots  with  their 
scissordike  jaws  and  killing  the  vegetation  effectually.  For  three 
years  the  future  insect  continues  in  its  larval  state,  and  after  a  brief 
sojourn  in  the  pupal  condition  changes  its  skin  for  the  last  time,  and 
emerges  from  the  ground  a  perfect  Cockchafer.  Even  in  its  perfect 
state  it  is  a  terribly  destructive  insect,  working 
sad  havoc  among  the  foliage  of  trees. 

The  Stag  Beetle  is  the  largest  of  our  British 
Coleoptera,  and  when  it  has  attained  its  full  di- 
mensions is  an   extremely  powerful  and  rather 
formidable  insect,  its  enormous  mandibles  being 
able  to  inflict  a  very  painful  bite,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  powerful  muscles  by  which  they 
are  moved,  but  in  consequence  of  the  antler-like 
projections  with  which  their  tips  are  armed.    These 
horn-like  jaws  belong  only  to  the  male,  those  of  the 
female  being  simply  sharp  and  curved  mandibles, 
in  no  way  conspicuous. 
The  larvse  of  the  Stag  Beetle  reside  in  trees,  into  which  they  burrow 
with  marvellous  facility,  and,  as  they  appear  to  cling  to  the  familiar 
neighborhood  after  they  have  emerged  from  their  holes,  they  may  be 
found  upon  or  near  the  trees  in  which  they  have  been  bred. 

From  the  formidable  shape  of  the  mandibles  it  might  be  supposed 

52* 


The  Cockchafer 

{Melolontha  vulgaris). 


618 


THE  CHRYSOCHEOA  AND  THE  GLOW-WORM. 


that  the  Stag  Beetle  was  one  of  the  predaceous  species.  This,  however, 
is  not  the  case,  the  food  of  this  fine  insect  consisting  mostly,  if  not 
wholly,  of  the  juices  of  vegetables,  which  it  wounds  with  the  jaws,  so 

as  to  cause  the  sap  to  flow.  It  is  true 
that  specimens  have  been  detected  in 
the  act  of  assaulting  other  insects,  but 
they  never  seem  to  have  been  observed 
in  the  act  of  feeding  upon  their  victim. 
AVhether  the  food  be  of  animal  or  veg- 
etable nature,  it  is  always  liquid,  and  is 
lapped  or  swept  up  by  a  kind  of  brush 
which  forms  part  of  the  mouth  and 
looks  like  a  double  pencil  of  shining 
orange-colored  hairs. 

Passing  by  one  or  two  families  of 
more  or  less  importance,  we  arrive  at 
the  Buprestidie,  a  family  of  Beetles  re- 
markable for  the  extraordinary  gorge- 
ousness  of  their  tints,  almost  every  im- 
aginable hue  being  found  upon  these 
brilliant  insects. 

They  are  found  in  many  portions  of 
'the  globe,  but,  as  is  generally  the  case 
with  insects,  their  colors  take  the  great- 
est intensity  within  the  tropics.  They 
fly  well  and  seem  to  exult  in  the  hot- 
test sunshine,  where  the  bright  beams 
cause  their  burnished  raiment  to  flash 
forth  its  most  dazzling  hues.  They 
are,  however,  slow  of  foot,  and  when 
alarmed  have  a  habit  of  falling  to  the  ground  with  folded  limbs,  as  if 
they  were  dead. 

The  Chrysochroa  is  one  of  the  finest  of  this  splendid  family.  The 
sides  of  the  thorax  are  covered  with  little  round  pits,  something  like 
the  depressions  on  the  head  of  a  thimble,  and  are  of  a  fiery  copper 
hue.  The  head  and  middle  of  the  thorax  are  light  burnished  blue, 
like  that  of  a  well-tempered  watch-spring,  and  the  elytra  are  warm 
cream-colored,  diversified  with  a  patch  of  deep  purple-blue  at  each 
side,  and  another  at  the  tip.     This  insect  is  a  native  of  India. 

The  celebrated  Glow-worm  belongs  to  the  typical  genus  of  its  fam- 
ily. 

Contrary  to  the  usual  rule  among  insects,  where  the  male  absorbs 
the  whole  of  the  beauty  and  the  female  is  comparatively  dull  and 
sombre  in  color  and  form,  the  female  carries  oflT  the  palm  for  beauty— 


The  Stag  Beetle  ( Lucanus 


THE  BLISTER  FLY  AND  THE  OIL  BEETLE.  619 

at  all  events  after  dusk — the  male  regainiDg  the  natural  ascendency 
by  the  light  of  day.  Either  through  books  or  by  actual  observation 
almost  every  one  is  familiar  with  the  Glow-worm,  and  would  recognize 
its  pale  green-blue  light  on  a  summer's  evening.  Many,  however,  if 
they  came  across  the  insect  by  day,  would  fail  to  detect  the  brilliant 
star  of  the  night  in  the  dull,  brown,  grub- 
like insect  crawling  slowly  among  the 
leaves,  and  still  fewer  would  be  able  to 
distinguish  the  male,  so  unlike  are  the 
two  sexes. 

It  has  often  been  said  that  the  female 
alone  is  luminous.     This,  however,  is  an 
error,  as  I  have  caught  numbers  of  these 
beetles  of  both  sexes,  and  always  found    The  Glow-worm  {Lampyris 
that  the  males  were  gifted  with  the  power  noctiluca). 

of  producing  the  peculiar  phosphorescent  .     a  e.     .    ema  e. 

light,  though  in  a  much  smaller  degree  than  their  mates,  the  light  look- 
ing like  two  small  pins'  heads  of  phosphorus  upon  the  end  of  the  tail. 
Seen  by  day,  the  male  is  a  much  handsomer-looking  insect  than  the 
female,  being  soft  brown  in  color,  long-bodied,  and  wide-winged,  alto- 
gether beetle-like ;  while  the  female  is  more  like  a  grub  than  a  perfect 
insect,  has  no  wings  at  all,  and  only  the  slightest  indications  of  elytra. 
The  larva  of  the  Glow-worm  feeds  upon  molluscs,  especially  upon 
the  smaller  snails,  which  it  is  able  to  devour  even  when  retracted  with- 
in the  walls  of  the  shell. 

The  Blister  Fly,  sometimes  called  Spanish  Fly,  is  the  typical 
species  of  the  Cantharidse  family. 

It  is  by  no  means  a  common  species  in  England,  though  it  has  oo- 
casioually  appeared  in -considerable  numbers.  In  such  cases,  however, 
it  is  extremely  local,  and  does  not  appear  to  be  dis- 
seminated through  the  country.  Spain  is  famous 
for  the  multitudes  of  Blister  Flies  which  are  found 
within  its  limits,  and  the  whole  of  South-western 
Europe  is  prolific  in  this  remarkable  beetle. 

The  Spanish  Fly  is  a  handsome  insect,  nearly  an 
inch  in  length,  and  of  a  rich  silken  green,  with  a 
gold  gloss  in  certain  lights. 

The  Oil  Beetle  belongs  to  the  same  family,  and 

is  very  common  in  England.     This  name,  by  which 

"^SpIni^h  Fly  (a?n^  ^^  ^®  popularly  known,  is  appropriate,  because,  when 

iharis  vesicatoria).      handled,  it  has  the  property  of  pouring  a  yellowish 

oily  fluid  from  the  joints  of  its  legs. 

The  abdomen  is  extremely  large  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the 

body,  and  the  short  diverging  elytra  descend  but  a  very  little  way 


620 


THE  WEEVILS  AND  THE  MUSK  BEETLE. 


The  Oil  Beetle  {Meloe  vioiaceus). 


below  the  thorax.  The  oily  matter  that  is  poured  from  the  joints  is 
considered  in  some  countries  to  be  a  specific  for  rheumatism,  and  is 
expressed  from  the  insect  for  medicinal  purposes.  The  color  of  the 
Oil  Beetle  is  dull  indigo-blue. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  vast  group  of  beetles,  embracing  several  thou- 
sand speci?s,  which  are  popularly  classed  under  the  name  of  Weevils, 

and  may  all  be  known  by 
the  peculiar  shape  and  very 
elongated  snouts.  Many  of 
these  creatures  have  their 
elytra  covered  with  minute 
but  most  brilliant  scales, 
arranged  in  rows,  and  pre- 
senting, when  placed  under 
the  microscope,  a  specta- 
cle almost  unapproached  in 
splendor.  They  are  mostly 
slow  in  their  movements,  not  quick  of  foot,  and  many  are  wholly 
wingless. 

The  most  brilliant  of  the  Weevils  are  to  be  found  in  the  typical  fam- 
ily Curculionidse,  to  which  belong  the  well-known  Diamond  Beetles,  in 
such  request  as  objects  for  the  microscope. 

The  maggots  that  are  so  frequently  found  in  nuts,  and  which  leave 
so  black  and  bitter  a  deposit  behind  them  that  the  person  who  has  un- 
fortunately tasted  a  maggot-eaten  nut  is  forcibly  reminded  of  the  Dead 
Sea  apple  with  its  inviting  exterior  and  bitter  dusty  contents,  also  be- 
long to  the  Weevils,  and  are  the  larvse  of  the  Nut  Weevil  {Balayiinus 
nucumy  All  the  members  of  the  genus  are  remarkable  for  the  extra- 
ordinary length  of  the  snout,  at  the  extremity  of  which  are  placed  the 
small  but  powerful  jaws. 

We  now  come  to  the  Longicorn  Beetles,  so  called  on  account  of  the 
extraordinary  length  of  the  antennae  in  many  of  the  species.  These  in- 
sects are  well  represented  in  England  by  many  species,  the  best  known 
being  the  common  Musk  Beetle. 

The  beautiful  beetles  of  which  the  common  Musk  Beetle  is  an  excel- 
lent example  vary  considerably  in  size,  some  being  several  inches  in 
length,  while  some  are  hardly  one  quarter  of  an  inch  long.  The  ex- 
treme length  of  their  antennae  is  the  most  conspicuous  property,  and  by 
that  peculiarity  they  are  at  once  recognized. 

A  small  moth,  Adela  de  Geerella,  possesses  the  same  peculiarity. 
The  length  of  the  moth  is  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  and  the  length 
of  the  antennae  more  than  an  inch  and  a  half.  The  antennae  wave  about 
with  every  breath  of  air,  as  if  the  insect  had  become  entangled  in  a  spi- 
der's web  and  escaped  with  some  of  the  loose  threads  floating  about  it. 


THE  BLOODY-NOSE  BEETLE  AND  THE  LADYBIRD.         621 

The  Musk  Beetle  is  a  large  insect,  common  in  most  parts  of  England. 
It  is  extremely  plentiful  at  Oxford,  and  is  found  in  old  willow  trees, 
with  which  Oxford  is  surrounded.  Its  peculiar  scent,  something  re- 
sembling that  of  roses,  often  betrays  its  presence  when  its  green  color 
would  have  kept  it  concealed.  When  touched  it  emits  a  curious  sound, 
not  unlike  that  of  the  bat,  but  more  resembling  the  faint  scratching  of 
a  perpendicularly-held  slate  pencil.  Its  larva  bores  deep  holes  in  the 
trees,  which  are  often  quite  honeycombed  by  them. 

As  in  the  preceding  family,  the  Longicorn  Beetles  pass  their  larval 
state  in  wood,  sometimes  boring  to  a  considerable  depth,  and  sometimes 
restricting  themselves  to  the  space  between  the  bark  and  the  wood.  The 
grubs  practically  possess  no  limbs,  the  minute  scaly  legs  being  entirely 
useless  for  locomotion,  and  the  movements  of  the  grub  being  performed 
by  alternate  contraction  and  extension  of  its  ringed  body.  In  order  to 
aid  in  locomotion  the  segments  are  furnished  with  projecting  tubercles, 
which  are  pressed  against  the  sides  of  the  burrow. 

Passing  by  several  families,  we  come  to  the  Chrysomelidse,  which  are 
round-bodied,  and  in  most  cases  very  brilliantly  colored  with  shining 
green,  purple,  blue,  and  gold,  of  a  peculiar  but  indescribable  lustre. 
They  are  slow  walkers,  but  grasp  the  leaves  with  a  wonderfully  firm 
hold.  The  British  species  of  Chrysomela  are  very  numerous.  One  of 
the  genera  belonging  to  this  family  contains  the  largest  British  speci- 
men of  these  beetles,  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  the  Bloody- 
nose  Beetle  {Timarchatenebricosa),oii  account  of  the  bright-red  fluid 
which  it  ejects  from  its  mouth  and  the  joints  of  its  legs  when  it  is 
alarmed.  This  fluid  is  held  by  many  persons  to  be  a  specific  in  case  of 
toothache.  It  is  applied  by  means  of  permitting  the  insect  to  emit  the 
fluid  on  the  finger  and  then  rubbing  it  on  the  gum,  and  the  effects  are 
said  to  endure  for  several  days.  The  larva  of  this  beetle  is  a  fat- 
bodied,  shining,  dark  green  grub,  which  may  be  found  clinging  to 
grass,  moss,  or  hedgerows  in  the  early  summer.  It  is  so  like  the  per- 
fect insect  that  its  identity  cannot  be  doubted. 

The  family  of  the  Coccinellidse,  or  Ladybirds,  is  allied  to  the  Chry- 
somelidie,  and  is  well  known  on  account  of  the  pretty  little  spotted  in- 
sects with  which  we  have  been  familiar  from  our  childhood.  Though 
the  Ladybird  is  too  well  known  to  need  description,  it  may  be  men- 
tioned that  it  is  an  extremely  useful  insect,  feeding  while  in  the  larval 
state  on  the  aphides  that  swarm  on  so  many  of  our  favorite  plants  and 
shrubs.  The  mother  Ladybird  always  takes  care  to  deposit  the  eggs  in 
spots  where  the  aphides  most  swarm,  and  so  to  secure  an  abundant  sup- 
ply of  food  for  the  future  offspring. 


622  THE  GIANT  EARWIG  AND  THE  COCKROACH. 

EARWIGS. 

Taking  leave  of  the  beetles,  we  now  proceed  to  a  fresh  order,  distin- 
guished by  several  simple  characteristics,  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned the  soft  and  leathery  elytra  or  fore  wings,  the  wide  and  mem- 
branous hind  wings,  and  the  forceps  with  which  the  tail  is  armed.  The 
insects  belonging  to  this  order  are  popularly  known  by  the  name  of 
Earwigs,  and  are  represented  in  this  country  by  several  species  of  dif- 
ferent dimensions. 

The  membranous  wings  of  the  Earwig  are  truly  beautiful.  They 
are  thin  and  delicate  to  a  degree,  very  large  and  rounded,  and  during 
the  daytime  packed  in  the  most  admirable  manner  under  the  little 
square  elytra.  The  process  of  packing  is  very  beautiful,  being  greatly 
assisted  by  the  forceps  on  the  tail,  which  are  directed  by  the  creature 
with  wonderful  precision,  and  used  as  deftly  as  if  they  were  fingers  di- 
rected by  eyes.  The  Earwigs  seldom  fly  except  by  night,  and  it  is  not 
very  easy  to  see  them  pack  up  their  wings.  Some  of  the  smaller  spe- 
cies, however,  are  day-flyers,  and  in  spite  of  their  tiny  dimensions  may 
be  watched  without  much  difficulty.  There  are  about  seven  or  eight 
British  species,  some  of  them  being  of  very  small  size.  The  largest 
British  species  is  the  Giant  Earwig.  It  is  of  very  rare  occurrence 
and  seldom  seen,  as  it  inhabits  only  the  seashore  and  never  shows  itself 
until  dusk.  I  have  a  fine  specimen  that  was  caught  on  the  sands  near 
Folkestone  in  the  month  of  July. 

ORTHOPTERA. 

A  large  and  important  order  succeeds  the  Earwigs,  containing  some 
of  the  finest,  and  at  the  same  time  some  of  the  most  grotesquely-formed, 
members  of  the  insect  tribe.  In  this  order  we  include  the  grasshoppers, 
locusts,  crickets,  cockroaches,  and  leaf  and  stick  insects,  and  its  mem- 
bers are  known  by  the  thick  parchment-like  upper  wings,  with  their 
stout  veiuiugs  and  their  overlapping  tips. 

The  first  family  of  Orthoptera  is  the  Blattidse,  a  group  of  insects 
familiar  under  the  title  of  Cockroaches. 

In  these  insects  the  body  is  flattened,  the  antennae  are  long  and  thread- 
like, and  the  perfect  wings  are  to  be  found  only  in  the  adult  male.  The 
common  Cockroach,  so  plentiful  in  our  kitchens,  and  so  well  known 
under  the  erroneous  name  of  black  beetle — its  color  being  dirty  red, 
and  its  rank  not  that  of  a  beetle— is  supposed  to  have  been  brought 
originally  from  India. 

The  eggs  of  the  Cockroach  are  not  laid  separately,  but  enclosed  in  a 
hard  membranous  case  exactly  resembling  an  apple  puff*,  and  contain- 
mg  about  sixteen  eggs.     Plenty  of  these  cases  may  be  found  under 


THE  FIELD  CKICKET. 


623 


planks  or  behind  the  skirting-boards,  where  these  insects  love  to  con- 
ceal themselves.  Along  one  of  the  edges  of  the  capsule  there  is  a  slit 
which  corresponds  with  the  opening  of  the  puff,  and  which  is  strength- 
ened, like  that  part  of  the  pastry,  by  a  thickened  margin.  The  edges 
of  the  slit  are  toothed,  and  it  is  said  that  each  tooth  corresponds  with 
an  egg.  When  the  young  are  hatched,  they  pour  out  a  fluid  which  has 
the  effect  of  dissolving  the  cement  which  holds  the  edges  together ;  the 


The  Earwig,  Mole  Cricket  (Gryllotalpa  vulgaris),  and  Field  Cricket 

{Gryllus  campeMris). 

newly-hatched  Cockroaches  push  themselves  through  the  aperture,  which 
opens  like  a  valve  and  closes  again  after  their  exit,  so  that  the  empty 
capsule  appears  to  be  perfectly  entire. 

A  good  example  of  the  Cricket  is  found  in  the  Field  Cricket,  a 
noisy  creature  inhabiting  the  sides  of  hedges  and  old  walls,  and  making 
country  lanes  vocal  with  its  curious  cry,  if  such  a  word  can  be  applied 
to  a  sound  produced  by  friction.  The  Field  Cricket  lives  in  burrows 
made  at  the  foot  of  hedges  or  walls,  and  sits  at  their  mouth  to  sing.  It 
is,  however,  a  very  timid  creature,  and  on  hearing,  or  perchance  feeling, 
an  approaching  footstep,  it  immediately  retreats  to  the  deepest  recesses 
of  the  burrow,  where  it  waits  until  it  imagines  the  danger  to  have 
gone  by. 


624     THE  MOLE  CKICKET  AND  THE  MIGKATOKY  LOCUST. 

Despite  of  its  timidity,  however,  it  seems  to  be  combative  in  no  slight 
deoree,  and  if  a  blade  of  grass  or  straw  be  pushed  into  its  hole,  it  will 
seize  the  intruding  substance  so  firmly  that  it  can  be  drawn  out  of  the 
burrow  before  it  will  loosen  its  hold.  The  males  are  especially  war- 
like ;  and  if  two  specimens  be  confined  in  the  same  box,  they  will  fight 
until  one  is  killed.  The  vanquished  foe  is  then  eaten  by  the  victor.  In 
White's  Natural  History  of  Selborne  there  is  a  careful  and  interesting 
description  of  the  Field  Cricket  and  its  habits. 

One  of  the  oddest-looking  of  the  British  insects  is  the  Mole  Cricket, 
so  called  on  account  of  its  burrowing  habits  and  altogether  mole4ike 
aspect.     This  insect  attains  considerable  dimensions. 

Like  those  of  the  mole,  the  fore  limbs  of  the  Mole  Cricket  are  of 
enormous  comparative  size,  and  turned  outward  at  just  the  same  angle 
from  the  body.  All  the  legs  are  strong,  but  the  middle  and  hinder  pair 
appear  quite  weak  and  insignificant  when  compared  with  the  gigantic 
developments  of  the  front  pair.  This  insect  is  rather  local,  but  is  found 
in  many  parts  of  England,  where  it  is  known  by  sundry  popular  titles, 
Croaker  being  the  name  most  in  vogue  near  Oxford,  where  it  is  found 
in  tolerable  plenty. 

The  color  of  the  Mole  Cricket  is  brown  of  diflferent  tints,  darker  upon 
the  thorax  than  on  the  wing-coverts,  both  of  which  organs  are  covered 
with  a  very  fine  and  short  down. 

As  might  be  surmised  from  the  extraordinary  muscular  power  of  the 
fore  legs,  the  Mole  Cricket  can  burrow  with  great  rapidity.  The  exca- 
vation is  of  a  rather  complicated  form,  consisting  of  a  moderately  large 
chamber  with  neatly-smoothed  walls,  many  winding  passages  communi- 
cating with  this  central  apartment.  In  the  chamber  are  placed  from 
one  to  four  hundred  eggs  of  a  dusky  yellow  color,  and  the  roof  of  the 
apartment  is  so  near  the  surface  of  the  ground  that  the  warmth  of  the 
sunbeams  penetrates  through  the  shallow  layer  of  earth  and  causes  the 
eggs  to  be  hatched. 

The  food  of  the  Mole  Cricket  is  mostly  of  a  vegetable  nature,  but  it 
has  been  known  to  feed  upon  raw  meat,  upon  other  insects,  and  even  to 
exhibit  a  strong  cannibalistic  propensity  when  shut  up  in  company  and 
deprived  of  its  normal  food. 

The  Migratory  Locust  is  a  well-known  instance  of  a  very  large 
family  of  insects  represented  in  our  own  land  by  many  examples.  All 
the  Locusts  and  Grasshoppers  are  vegetable  feeders,  and  in  many  cases 
their  voracity  is  so  insatiable,  their  jaws  so  powerful,  and  their  numbers 
so  countless  that  they  destroy  every  vestige  of  vegetation  wherever  they 
may  pass,  and  devastate  the  country  as  if  a  fire  had  swept  over  it. 

Such  is  the  case  with  the  Migratory  Locust,  so  called  from  its  habit 
of  congregating  in  vast  armies,  which  fly  like  winged  clouds  over  the 
earth  and  wherever  they  alight  strip  every  living  plant  of  its  verdure.  So 


THE  LEAF  INSECT. 


625 


assiduously  do  they  ply  their  busy  jaws  that  the  peculiar  sound  produced 
by  the  champing  of  the  leaves,  twigs,  and  grass-blades  can  be  heard  at  a 
considerable  distance.  When  they  take  to  flight  the  rushing  of  their  wings 
is  like  the  roaring  of  the  sea,  and  as  their  armies  pass  through  the  air 
the  sky  is  darkened  as  if  by  black  thunder-clouds. 

The  warm  sunbeams  appear  to  be  absolutely  necessary  for  the  flight 
of  Locusts,  for  no  sooner  does  the  sun  set  than  they  alight  and  furl  their 
wings.  Woe  to  the  ill-fated  spot  where  they  settle!  for  they  consume 
everything  that  their  jaws  can  sever,  and  are  not  content  with  eating 
the  green  herbage,  but  devour  even  linen,  blankets,  or  tobacco.  At 
the  approach  of  the  aerial  hosts  every  one  is  in  fear  except  the  Bush- 
man, who  welcomes  the  Locust  with  all  his  heart ;  for  he  has  no  crops 
to  lose,  no  clothing  to  be  destroyed,  and  only  sees  in  the  swarming  in- 
sects his  greatest  luxury — namely,  an  abundant  supply  of  food  without 
any  trouble  in  obtaining  it.     In  the  path  of  the  Locusts  he  kindles 


The  Migratory  Locust  {Locusta  migrator ia). 

large  fires,  and  the  insects,  being  stifled  with  the  smoke  and  having 
their  wings  scorched  by  the  flames,  fall  in  thousands,  and  are  gathered 
into  heaps,  roasted,  and  eaten.  Those  that  remain  after  the  Bushman 
has  eaten  his  fill  are  then  ground  between  two  stones  into  a  kind  of 
meal,  which  is  dried  in  the  sun,  and  can  be  kept  for  a  long  time  with- 
out becoming  putrid.  This  substance  does  not  seem  very  palatable  to 
Europeans,  but  its  distastefulness  is  probably  owing  to  the  careless  way 
in  which  the  insects  are  scorched  over  the  fire,  as  Dr.  Livingstone 
speaks  highly  of  the  Locust  as  an  article  of  food,  thinking  it  superior 
to  shrimps.  Honey  is  always  eaten  together  with  the  Locusts  whenever 
that  sweet  condiment  can  be  obtained,  as  it  serves  to  render  the  insects 
more  digestible.  Our  common  English  grasshoppers  belong  to  the 
true  Locusts. 

The  Leaf  Insect  is  one  of  the  singular  species  which  have  such  a 
wonderful  resemblance  to  fallen   leaves.     The  elytra  are  peculiarly 
53  2  P 


626  THE  WHITE  ANT. 

leaf-like,  and  the  limbs  are  furnished  with  wide  flattened  appendages, 
in  order  to  carry  out  the  leafy  aspect.  Only  the  females  possess  the 
wide,  veined  wing-covers,  those  of  the  male  being  comparatively  short. 
The  wings,  however,  are  entirely  absent  in  the  female,  while  in  the 
opposite  sex  they  are  very  wide  and  reach  to  the  extremity  of  the 
body. 

THYSANOPTERA. 

The  next  order,  according  to  Mr.  Westwood's  arrangement,  is  that 
called  the  Thysanoptera,  or  Fringe-winged  Insects,  on  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  wings  are  edged  with  long  and  delicate  cilia. 
They  are  all  little  insects,  seldom  exceeding  the  tenth  or  twelfth  of  an 
inch  in  length,  but,  although  small,  are  capable  of  doing  considerable 
damage.  They  are  mostly  to  be  found  on  plants  and  flowers,  especially 
those  blossoms  where  the  petals  are  wide  and  deep  and  afford  a  good 
shelter.  The  convolvulus  is  always  a  great  favorite  with  them. 
Greenhouses  are  sadly  liable  to  their  inroads,  and,  owing  to  their 
numbers,  they  are  very  injurious  to  melons,  cucumbers,  and  similar 
plants,  covering  their  leaves  with  a  profusion  of  decayed  patches  that 
look  as  if  some  powerful  acid  had  been  sprinkled  over  them.  Only 
one  family  of  these  insects  is  acknowledged  by  entomologists. 

NEUROPTERA. 

We  now  come  to  an  order  of  insects  containing  some  of  the  most 
beautiful,  and  a  few  of  the  most  interesting,  members  of  the  class. 
They  are  known  by  the  possession  of  four  equal-sized  membranous 
wings  divided  into  a  great  number  of  little  cells  technically  called 
areolets.  The  mouth  is  furnished  with  transversely  movable  jaws,  and 
the  females  do  not  possess  a  sting  or  valved  ovipositor.  In  this  order 
are  comprised  the  ant-lions,  the  dragon-flies,  the  termites,  the  lace-wings, 
and  the  May-flies. 

The  first  family  in  Mr.  Westwood's  arrangement  is  that  of  the  Ter- 
mites, popularly  known  by  the  name  of  White  Ants,  because  they 
live  in  vast  colonies,  and  in  many  of  their  habits  display  a  resemblance 
to  the  insect  from  which  they  take  their  name.  All  the  Termites  are 
miners,  and  many  of  them  erect  edifices  of  vast  dimensions  when  com- 
pared with  the  size  of  their  architect.  For  example,  the  buildings 
erected  by  the  Common  White  Ant  {Termes  bellicosus)  will  often  reach 
the  astonishing  height  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  feet,  which,  in  proportion 
to  the  size  of  the  insect,  would  be  equivalent  to  an  edifice  a  mile  in 
height  if  built  by  man.  The  dwellings  are  made  of  clay,  worked  in 
some  marvellous  manner  by  the  jaws  of  the  insect-architects,  and  are 
of  such  astonishing  hardness  that,  although  hollow  and  pierced  by 


THE  WHITE  ANT. 


627 


de- 
are 
in 


re- 


numerous  galleries  and  chambers,  they  will  sustain  the  weight  of  cattle, 
which  are  in  the  habit  of  ascending  these  wonderful  monuments  of 
insect  labor  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  a  watch  on  the  surrounding 
country. 

To  give  a  complete  history  of  the  Termites  would  be  a  task  demand- 
ing so  much  time  and  space  that  it  cannot  be  attempted  in  these  pages; 
and  we  must  therefore  content  ourselves  with  a  slight  sketch  of  their 

general  history, 
premising  that 
many  parts  of 
their  economy, 
and  especially 
those  which  re- 
late to  their 
velopment, 
still  buried 
mystery. 

The  most 
cent  investiga- 
tions give  the 
following  results: 
Each  Termite 
colony  is  found- 
ed by  a  fruitful 
pair,  called  the 
king  and  queen, 
who  are  placed 
in  a  chamber  devoted  to  their  sole  use,  and  from  which  they  never  stir 
when  once  enclosed.  These  insects  produce  a  vast  quantity  of  eggs, 
from  which  are  hatched  the  remaining  members  of  the  colony,  con- 
sisting of  neuters  of  both  sexes,  the  females  being  termed  workers  and 
the  males  soldiers,  the  latter  being  distinguished  by  their  enormous 
heads  and  powerful  jaws ;  of  larvse  of  two  forms,  some  of  which  will 
be  fully  developed,  and  others  pass  all  their  lives  in  the  worker  or 
soldier  condition ;  of  pup?e  of  two  forme ;  and,  lastly,  of  male  and 
female  perfect  insects,  which  are  destined  to  found  fresh  colonies.  The 
neuters  of  either  sex  are  without  wings. 

In  founding  a  colony  the  order  is  as  follows :  The  parent  pair  are 
taken  possession  of  by  the  workers,  who  enclose  them  in  a  chamber 
which  is  intended  as  the  nucleus  of  the  infant  establishment.  The  walls 
of  this  chamber  are  pierced  by  holes  which  will  suffer  the  workers  to 
pass,  but  are  far  too  small  to  afford  exit  for  the  king  or  queen.  Short- 
ly after  they  have  been  fairly  installed  a  w^ondrous  change  takes  place 
in  the  female.     Though  her  head,  thorax,  and  legs  retain  their  normal 


The  White  Ant  (Termes  beUicosus). 
1.  Male.     2-4.  Neuters.     3.  Gravid  Female. 


628  THE  DRAGON-FLIES. 

dimensious,  her  abdomen  begins  to  swell  in  the  most  preposterous 
manner,  until  it  is  as  long  as  a  man's  finger  and  about  twice  its 
thickness,  thus  precluding  its  owner  from  advancing  a  single  step. 

The  queen,  thus  developed  and  for  ever  fixed  in  her  home,  is  truly 
the  mother  of  her  subjects,  producing  nearly  eighty  thousand  eggs  in 
each  twenty-four  hours.  The  eggs  are  carried  off  by  the  workers  as 
soon  as  laid,  and  conveyed  to  suitable  places  in  the  nest,  where  they 
are  guarded  until  they  are  hatched,  and  are  then  fed  and  watched 
until  they  have  passed  through  their  preliminary  stages  of  exist- 
ence. 

The  great  bulk  of  a  Termite  establishment  is  composed  of  workers, 
who  outnumber  the  soldiers  in  the  proportion  of  a  hundred  to  one.  By 
the  mysterious  instinct  which  is  implanted  in  these  insects  the  soldiers 
and  workers  confine  themselves  to  their  respective  occupations,  the  for- 
mer doing  nothing  but  fight  and  the  latter  nothing  but  labor. 

There  are  many  species  of  Termite,  and  all  are  fearfully  destruc- 
tive, being,  indeed,  the  greatest  pests  of  the  country  wherein  they  re- 
side. Nothing,  unless  cased  in  metal,  can  resist  their  jaws,  and  they 
have  been  known  to  destroy  the  whole  woodwork  of  a  house  in  a  single 
season.  They  always  work  in  darkness,  and  at  all  exj^enditure  of  eflbrt 
keep  themselves  under  cover,  so  that  their  destructive  labors  are  often 
completed  before  the  least  intimation  has  been  given.  For  example, 
the  Termites  will  bore  through  the  boards  of  a  floor,  drive  their  tun- 
nels up  the  legs  of  the  tables  or  chairs,  consume  everything  but  a  mere 
shell  no  thicker  than  paper,  and  yet  leave  everything  apparently  in  a 
perfect  condition.  Many  a  person  has  learned  the  real  state  of  his  fur- 
niture only  by  finding  a  chair  crumble  into  dust  as  he  sat  upon  it,  or  a 
whole  staircase  fall  to  pieces  as  soon  as  a  foot  was  set  upon  it.  In  some 
cases  the  Termite  lines  its  galleries  with  clay,  which  soon  becomes  as 
hard  as  stone,  and  thereby  produces  very  remarkable  architectural 
changes.  For  example,  it  has  been  found  that  a  row  of  wooden  col- 
umns in  front  of  a  house  have  been  converted  into  stone  pillars  by  these 
insects. 

Passing  by  several  families  of  the  Neuroptera,  we  come  to  the  Libel- 
lulidse,  or  Dragon-flies.  These  insects  are  very  familiar  to  us  by  means 
of  the  numerous  Dragon-flies  which  haunt  our  river-sides,  and  which 
are  known  to  the  rustics  by  the  very  inappropriate  name  of  Horse= 
stingers,  they  possessing  no  sting  and  never  meddling  with  horses. 
The  name  of  Dragon-flies,  on  the  contrary,  is  perfectly  appropriate, 
as  these  insects  are  indeed  the  dragons  of  the  air,  far  more  voracious 
and  active  than  even  the  fabled  dragons  of  antiquity. 

Even  in  their  preliminary  stages  the  Dragon-flies  preserve  their  pred- 
atory habits,  and  for  that  purpose  are  armed  in  a  most  remarkable  man- 
ner.    Durmg  the  larval  and  pupal  states  the  Dragon-fly  is  an  inhabit- 


THE  DEAGON-FLIES. 


629 


ant  of  the  water,  and  may  be  found  in  most  of  our  streams,  usually 
haunting  the  muddy  banks,  and  propelling  itself  along  by  an  appa- 
ratus as  efficacious  as  it  is  simple,  and  exactly  analogous  to  the  mode  by 
which  the  nautilus  forces  itself  through  the  water.  The  respiration  is 
carried  on  by  means  of  the  oxygen  which  is  extracted  from  the  water, 
and  the  needful  supply  of  liquid  is  allowed  to  pass  into  and  out  of  the 
body  through  a  large  aperture  at  the  end  of  the  tail. 

Such  are  its  means  of  locomotion ;  those  of  attack  are  not  less  re- 
markable or  less  efficacious. 

The  lower  lip,  instead  of  being  a  simple  cover  to  the  mouth,  is  de- 
veloped into  a  strange-jointed  organ,  which  can  be  shot  out  to  the  dis- 
tance of  nearly  an  inch,  or  when  at  rest  can  be  folded  flat  over  the 
face,  much  as  a  carpenter's  rule  can  be  shut  up  so  as  to  fit  into  his 


The  Common  Dragon-fly  {Libellula  depressa). 

pocket,  and  can  be  rapidly  protruded  or  withdrawn  very  much  like 
the  instrument  called  the  "  lazy  tongs."  Like  that  instrument,  it  is 
furnished  at  its  extremity  with  a  pair  of  forceps,  and  is  able  to  grasp 
at  passing  objects  with  the  swiftness  and  certainty  of  a  serpent's 
stroke. 

The  creature  remains  for  some  ten  or  eleven  months  in  the  prelim- 
inary stages  of  existence,  and  when  the  insect  is  about  to  make  its  final 
change  the  undeveloped  wings  become  visible  on  the  back.  When  its 
time  has  come,  the  pupa  leaves  the  water  and  crawls  up  the  stem  of 
some  aquatic  plant  until  it  has  reached  a  suitable  elevation ;  it  clings 
firmly  with  its  claws,  and  remains  apparently  quiet.  On  approaching 
it,  however,  a  violent  internal  agitation  is  perceptible,  and  presently 
the  skin  of  the  back  splits  along  the  middle,  and  the  Dragon-fly  pro- 
trudes its  head  and  part  of  the  thorax.  By  degrees  it  withdraws  itself 
from  the  empty  skin,  and  sits  for  a  few  hours  drying  itself  and  shaking 

53  * 


630     THE  DEMOISELLE  DRAGON-FLIES  AND  THE  ANT-LION. 

out  the  innumerable  folds  into  which  the  wide  gauzy  wings  have  been 
gathered.  After  a  series  of  deep  respirations  of  the  unwonted  air  and 
much  waving  of  the  wings,  the  glittering  membranes  gain  strength  and 
elasticity,  and  the  enfranchised  insect  launches  forth  into  the  air  in  search 
of  prey  and  a  mate. 

There  are  very  many  species  of  Dragon-flies,  all  very  similar  in  their 
habits,  being  fiercely  p'redaceous,  strong  of  wing,  and  gifted  with  glit- 
tering colors.  Unfortunately,  the  rich  azure,  deep  green,  soft  carnation, 
or  fiery  scarlet  of  these  insects  fades  with  their  life,  and  in  a  few  hours 
after  death  the  most  brilliant  Dragon-fly  will  have  faded  to  a  blackish 
brown.  The  only  mode  of  preserving  the  colors  is  to  remove  all  the 
interior  of  the  body  and  to  introduce  paint  of  the  proper  colors.  This, 
however,  is  but  an  empirical  and  unsatisfactory  sort  of  proceeding,  and 
no  matter  how  skillfully  it  may  be  achieved,  will  never  be  worth  the 
time  bestowed  upon  it.  In  many  species  the  sexes  are  of  different  colors, 
as,  for  example,  in  the  beautiful  Demoiselle  Dragon-flies,  where  the 
male  is  deep  purple,  with  dark  spots  on  the  wings,  and  the  female  rich 
green,  with  the  wings  uncolored. 

The  far-famed  Ant-lion  is  one  of  the  insects  that  are  more  celebra- 
ted in  their  preliminary  than  in  the  perfect  stage  of  existence.  As  may 
be  seen  by  reference  to  the  illustration,  their  perfect  form  is  very  light 
and  elegant,  and  closely  resembles  that  of  the  dragon-flies,  save  that 

the  wings  are  lighter, 
softer,  and  broader. 
In  their  larval  condi- 
tion however,  they  are 
by  no  means  attrac- 
tive-looking creatures, 
somewhat  resembling 
flattened  maggots  with 
rather  long  legs  and 
very  large  jaws,  the 
legs   being   apparently 


The  Ant-lion  [Mynneleocj  tramyatus). 


useless  as  organs  of  progression,  all  movements  being  made  by  means 
of  the  abdomen.  Slow  of  movement  as  is  this  creature,  and  yet  pre- 
daceous,  feeding  wholly  on  living  insects,  the  mode  of  obtaining  its  food 
seems  to  be  rather  a  problem.  The  solution,  however,  is  simple  enough, 
the  creature  digging  a  pitfall  and  lying  ensconced  therein  while  the 
expected  prey  approaches. 

In  order  to  enable  the  Ant-lion  to  extract  the  juices  of  the  insects  on 
which  it  feeds,  the  inner  curve  on  each  mandible  is  deeply  grooved,  and 
another  portion  of  the  jaws,  technically  called  the  maxilla,  plays  within 
the  groove. 

The  May-fly  has  long  been  celebrated  for  its  short  space  of  life,  a 


THE  MAY-FLY   AND  THE  CADDIS-FLY. 


631 


single  day  sometimes  witnessing  its  entrance  into  the  perfect  state  and 
its  final  departure  from  the  world.  The  popular  idea  concerning  these 
insects  is  that  the  whole  of  their  life  is  restricted  to  a  single  day.  This, 
however,  is  an  error,  as  they  have  already  passed  at  least  two  years  in 
their  preliminary  stages  of  existence.  In  the  larval  and  pupal  states 
they  are  inhabitants  of  the  water,  and  are  fond 
of  hiding  themselves  under  stones  or  burrow- 
ing into  the  muddy  banks.  Under  the  latter 
circumstances  they  make  a  very  curious  tun- 
nel, something  like  a  double-barrelled  gun. 

The  May-fly  is  peculiarly  notable  for  a  stage 
of  development  which  seems  to  be  quite  unique 
among  insects.  When  it  has  passed  through 
its  larval  and  pupal  state  it  leaves  the  water, 
creeps  out  of  its  pupa-case,  and  takes  to  its 
wings.  After  a  period  varying  from  one  to 
twenty  hours  it  flies  to  some  object,  such  as 
the  trunk  of  a  tree  or  the  stems  of  water- 
plants,  and  casts  ofi"  a  thin  membranous  pel- 
licle, which  has  enveloped  the  body  and  wing, 
the  dry  pellicle  remaining  in  the  same  spot, 
and  looking  at  first  like  a  dead  insect.  After 
this  operation  the  wings  become  brighter,  and 
the  three  filaments  of  the  tail  increase  to  twice 
their  length.  Some  authors  call  the  state  be- 
tween leaving  the  water  and  casting  the  pel- 
licle the  "  pseudimago  "  state. 

Some  of  these  insects  are  well  known  to  fish-  The  May-fj.y  {Ephemera 
ermen  under  the  names  of  Green  and  Gray  vugaa). 

Drake,  the  former  being  the  pseudimago,  and  the  latter  the  perfect 
form  of  the  insect.  Sometimes  these  insects  occur  in  countless  myr- 
iads, looking  like  a  heavy  fall  of  snow  as  they  are  blown  by  the  breeze, 
and  having  on  some  occasions  been  so  plentiful  that  they  have  been 
gathered  into  heaps  and  carted  ofl"  to  the  fields  for  manure. 

The  order  called  Trichoptera,  or  Hairy-winged  Insects,  is  represented 
by  the  common  Caddis-fly. 

This  fly  is  well  known  to  every  angler  both  in  its  larval  and  in  its 
perfect  state.  The  larva  is  a  soft  white  worm,  of  which  fishes  are  ex- 
ceedingly fond,  and  it  therefore  requires  some  means  of  defence.  It 
accordingly  actually  makes  for  itself  a  movable  house  of  sand,  small 
stones,  straws,  bits  of  shells,  or  even  small  living  shells,  in  which  it 
lives  in  perfect  security,  and  crawls  about  in  search  of  food,  dragging 
its  house  after  it.  When  it. is  about  to  become  a  pupa  it  spins  a  strong 
silk  grating  over  the  entrance  of  its  case,  so  that  the  water  necessary 


632 


THE  SAW-FLIES. 


for  its  respiration  can  pass  through,  but  at  the  same  time  all  enemies 
are  kept  out.  When  the  time  for  its  change  has  arrived  the  pupa 
bites  through  the  grating,  rises  to  the  surface,  and  crawls  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  water,  which  would  soon  be  fatal  to  it.  The  skin  then 
splits  down  the  back,  and  the  perfect  insect  emerges. 

The  order  is  called  Trichoptera,  because  the  wings,  instead  of  being 
covered  with  scales,  as  are  those  of  butterflies,  are  clothed  with  hairs. 
There  are  many  species  of  Caddis-flies. 

We  now  come  to  the  vast  order  of  insects  technically  called  the 
Hymenoptera.  In  these  insects  the  wings  are  four  in  number,  trans- 
parent, membranous,  the  veins  comparatively  few,  and  the  hinder  pair 
smaller  than  the  others.  Their  mouth  is  furnished  with  powerful  horny 
jaws,  and  with  a  tongue  guarded  by  the  modified  maxillae.  The  females 
are  armed  with  a  many-valved  sting  or  ovipositor.  In  this  enormous 
order  are  included  all  the  bees,  wasps,  and  their  kin,  the  great  family 
of  saw-flies,  the  ichneumons,  the  gall-flies,  and  the  ants.  We  will  pro- 
ceed at  once  to  the  family  of  the  Tenthredinid^,  or  Saw-flies. 

In  this  and  the  next  family 
the  females  are  furnished  with 
a  peculiar  ovipositor,  compos- 
ed of  several  pieces. 

The  true  Saw-flies  are  known 
by  the  curious  piece  of  animal 
mechanism  from  which  they 
derive  their  name.  The  fe- 
males of  this  family  are  sup- 
plied with  a  pair  of  horny 
saws,  placed  side  by  side  on 
the  lower  extremity  of  the 
abdomen. 

These  saws  are  of  various 
forms,  according  to  the  par- 
ticular species  to  which  they 
belong,  and  may  be  seen  even 
in  the  dried  specimens,  the  top  of  their  sheath  slightly  projecting,  and 
their  shapes  plainly  visible  after  the  removal  of  a  portion  of  the  abdo- 
men. When  taken  from  the  insect  and  placed  under  the  microscope 
they  present  a  very  pretty  appearance,  owing  to  the  gently-curved  ribs 
with  which  their  sides  are  strengthened  and  decorated.  The  saws  act 
alternately,  one  being  pushed  forward  as  the  other  is  being  retracted, 
rheir  object  is  to  form  a  groove  in  some  plant,  in  which  the  eggs  of 
the  mother-insect  can  be  deposited,  and  wherein  they  shall  find  a  supply 
ot  nourishment  in  order  to  enable  them  to  complete  their  development ; 
lor  It  IS  a  most  remarkable  fact  that  after  the  egg  is  deposited  in  the 


The  Sirex  Gigas. 


THE  GIANT  ICHNEUMON.  633 

groove  it  rapidly  increases  in  size,  obtaining  twice  its  former  dimen- 
sions. 

In  the  genus  Cimbex  the  larvae  possess  twenty-two  feet,  and  have  the 
power  of  discharging  a  translucent  greenish  fluid  from  certain  pores 
placed  on  the  sides  of  the  body  just  above  the  spiracles.  This  feat  they 
can  repeat  six  or  seven  times  in  succession.  When  they  have  eaten 
their  way  to  the  next  stage  of  existence,  they  spin  a  cocoon  of  a 
brownish  color  and  of  a  stringy,  tough  consistency,  and  either  suspend 
it  to  the  branches  of  the  tree  on  which  they  have  been  feeding  or  hide 
it  under  fallen  leaves.  In  this  cocoon  they  remain  for  a  comparatively 
short  time,  and  then  emerge  as  perfect  insects. 

The  fine  insect  known  by  the  name  of  the  Giant  Ichneumon  is  an 
example  of  the  next  family,  in  which  the  ovipositor  is  converted  into 
a  gimlet  instead  of  a  double  saw.  With  this  powerful  instrument  the 
female  is  enabled  to  drill  holes  into  living  timber  for  the  purpose  of 
depositing  the  eggs.  When  they  are  hatched  the  young  grubs  imme- 
diately begin  to  gnaw  their  way  through  the  wood,  boring  it  in  every 
direction  and  making  burrows  of  no  mean  size.  Those  of  the  present 
species  prefer  fir  and  pine,  and  I  have  had  specimens  of  the  wood  sent 
to  me  which  have  been  riddled  by  the  grubs  until  they  looked  as  if 
they  had  harbored  a  colony  of  the  ship-worm. 

The  next  group  of  the  Terebrantia  is  called  Entomophaga,  or  Insect- 
eaters,  because  the  greater  number  of  them  are  parasitic  upon  other 
insects,  just  as  the  saw-flies  are  parasitic  upon  vegetables.  In  these 
insects  the  ovipositor  is  furnished  with  two  delicate  spiculte,  and  the 
last  segments  of  the  abdomen  are  not  formed  into  a  telescope-like 
tube. 

The  first  family  is  that  of  the  Cynipidse,  or  Gall  Insects,  the  creatures 
by  whose  means  are  produced  the  well-known  galls  upon  various  trees, 
the  so-called  oak-apple  being  perhaps  the  best  known,  and  the  ink-gall 
(also  found  on  the  oak)  the  most  valuable.  These  galls  are  formed  by 
the  deposition  of  an  egg  in  the  leaf,  branch,  stem,  twig,  or  even  root, 
of  the  plant,  and  its  consequent  growth. 

The  true  Ichneumons  form  a  vast  group  of  insects,  the  British  Ich- 
neumonidse  alone  numbering  many  more  than  a  thousand  described 
and  acknowledged  species.  In  them  the  ovipositor  is  straight,  and  is 
employed  in  inserting  the  eggs  into  the  bodies  of  other  insects,  mostly 
in  their  larval  state.  In  some  cases  this  slender  and  apparently  feeble 
instrument  is  able  to  pierce  through  solid  wood,  and  is  insinuated  by 
a  movement  exactly  like  that  which  is  employed  by  a  carpenter  when 
using  a  brad-awl.  When  not  engaged  in  this  work,  the  ovipositor  is 
protected  by  two  slender  sheaths  that  enclose  it  on  either  side. 

Were  it  not  for  the  Ichneumons,  our  fields  and  gardens  would  be 
hopelessly  ravaged  by  caterpillars  and  grubs  of  all  kinds,  for  practical 


634  THE  WASPS  AND  THE  ANTS. 

entomologists  always  find  that  when  they  attempt  to  rear  insects  from 
the  egg  or  the  larval  state  they  must  count  upon  losing  a  very  large 
percentage  by  the  Ichneumons. 

In  the  next  great  division  of  hymenopterous  insects  the  ovipositor 
of  the  female  is  changed  into  a  sharply-pointed  weapon,  popularly 
called  a  sting,  and  connected  with  a  gland  in  which  is  secreted  a 
poison  closely  analogous  to  that  which  envenoms  a  serpent's  tooth. 

First  come  those  curious  and  interesting  insects  popularly  known  by 
the  names  of  Sand  Wasps  and  Wood  Wasps.  These  creatures  ard 
in  the  habit  of  making  burrows  in  the  ground  or  in  posts  and  placing 
therein  their  eggs,  together  with  the  bodies  of  other  insects  which  are 
destined  to  serve  as  food  for  the  future  progeny.  Spiders  are  some- 
times captured  and  immured. for  this  purpose.  In  many  instances  the 
captured  insects  are  stung  to  death  before  they  are  placed  in  the 
burrow,  but  it  is  often  found  that  they  only  receive  a  wound  sufficient 
to  paralyze  them,  so  that  they  lead  a  semi-torpid  life  until  they  are 
killed  and  eaten  by  the  young  grub.  Two  of  these  Sand  Wasps  are 
tolerably  common  in  Englaud.  One  o^  them  {^Crabro  cribarius^,  the 
wood-borer,  drills  its  barrow  into  posts,  palings,  and  similar  substances. 
It  feeds  its  young  with  the  larvae  of  one  of  the  leaf-rolling  caterpillars, 
that  lives  in  the  oak,  and  is  scientifically  known  by  the  name  of  Tortrix 
chlorana.  It  also  employs  for  this  purpose  several  two-winged  insects. 
One  species  of  these  burrowing  wasps  prefers  the  well-known  cuckoo- 
spit  insect  for  this  purpose  {Aphroplwra  spumariaj,  pulling  it  out  of  its 
frothy  bed  by  means  of  its  long  legs. 

Another  of  these  insects,  called  Philanthiis  triangulum,  is  in  the 
habit  of  provisioning  its  burrow  with  the  hive  bee,  which  it  contrives 
to  master,  in  spite  of  the  formidable  weapon  possessed  by  its  victim, 
and  then  murders  or  paralyzes  by  means  of  its  sting.  M.  Latreille 
mentioned  that  he  saw  from  fifty  to  sixty  of  these  insects  busily 
engaged  in  burrowing  into  a  sandbank  not  more  than  forty  yards 
long ;  and  as  each  female  lays  five  or  six  eggs,  and  deposits  a  bee 
with  each  egg,  the  havoc  made  among  the  hives  is  by  no  means  in- 
considerable. 

The  true  Ants,  as  is  well  known,  associate  in  great  numbers,  and, 
as  is  peculiarly  the  case  with  the  bees,  the  great  bulk  of  their  numbers 
is  composed  of  workers,  or  neuters,  which  are  destined  to  perform  the 
constant  labors  needful  to  regulate  so  large  a  community.  The  perfect 
insects  of  either  sex  take  no  part  in  the  daily  tasks,  their  sole  object 
being  to  keep  up  the  numbers  of  the  establishment.  In  the  Ants, 
moreover,  the  neuters  are  without  wings,  and  even  the  perfect  insects 
retain  these  organs  for  only  a  brief  period  of  their  existence. 

Every  one  has  heard  of  the  objects  called  "  ants'  eggs,"  which  are  so 
strongly  recommended  as  food  for  the  nightingale  and  other  birds ;  and 


THE  SOLITARY  WASP.  635 

many  persons,  though  they  have  seen  them,  have  believed  them  to  be 
really  the  objects  which  their  popular  name  would  infer.  In  truth, 
however,  they  are  simply  the  cocoons  in  which  the  insects  are  passing 
their  pupal  state  before  emerging  in  their  winged  condition.  It  has 
already  been  mentioned  that  only  the  perfect  males  and  females  pos- 
sess wings. 

As  soon  as  they  gain  sufficient  strength  they  fly  upward  into  the  air, 
where  they  seek  their  mates  and  soon  descend  to  earth.  The  males, 
having  now  nothing  to  do,  speedily  die,  as  they  ought,  but  the  females 
begin  to  make  provision  for  their  future  households.  Their  first  pro- 
ceeding is  a  rather  startling  one,  being  the  rejection  of  the  wings  which 
had  so  lately  borne  them  through  the  air.  This  object  is  achieved  by 
pressing  the  ends  of  the  wings  against  the  ground  and  then  forcing  them 
suddenly  downward.  The  wing  then  snaps  off  at  the  joint,  and  the 
creature,  thus  reduced  to  the  wingless  state  of  a  worker,  is  seized 
upon  and  conveyed  to  a  suitable  spot,  where  she  begins  to  supply  a 
vast  quantity  of  eggs.  These  are  carefully  conveyed  away  and  nur- 
tured until  they  burst  forth  into  the  three  states  of  male,  female, 
and  neuter,  the  precise  method  by  which  the  development  is  ar- 
rested so  as  to  produce  the  neuter  condition  not  being  very  accu- 
rately known. 

The  Eumenes  arcuatus  is  an  Australian  example  of  the  Solitary 
Wasps,  many  of  which  are  found  in  England.  The  curious  nest  of  this 
insect  is  suspended  from  a  branch.  The  creature  makes  a  separate  nest 
for  each  egg,  the  material  being  clay  well  worked.  The  nest  is  stocked 
with  larvae  of  moths  or  butterflies. 

The  true  Wasps,  or  Vespidse,  are  gregarious  in  their  habits,  building 
nests  in  which  a  large  but  uncertain  number  of  young  are  reared.    The 
common  Wasp  makes  its  nest  within  the  ground, 
sometimes  taking  advantage  of  the  deserted  hole 
of  a  rat  or  mouse,  and  sometimes  working  for  it- 
self.    The  substance  of  which  the  nest  is  made 
is  a  paper-like  material,  obtained  by  nibbling 
woody  fibres  from  decayed  trees  or  bark  and 
kneading  them  to  a  paste  between  the  jaws. 
The  general  shape  of  the  nest  is  globular,  and 
the  walls  are  of  considerable  thickness,  in  order  The  Wasp  (  Vespa  vul- 
to  guard  the  cells  from  falling  earth,  a  circular  garis,. 

aperture  being  left,  through  which  the  inhabitants  can  enter  or  leave 
their  home. 

The  cells  are  hexagonal,  and  laid  tier  above  tier,  each  story  being 
supported  by  little  pillars  made  of  the  same  substance  as  the  cells,  and 
all  the  open  ends  being  downward,  instead  of  laid  horizontally,  as  is  the 
case  with  the  bees.     It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  on  account  of  this  arrange- 


636  THE  HIVE  BEE. 

ment,  the  Durse-wasps  are  enabled  to  get  at  the  grubs  as  they  lie,  or 
rather  hang,  in  their  cells,  with  their  heads  downward. 

The  grubs  are  fat,  white,  black-headed  creatures,  very  well  known  to 
fishermen,  who  find  them  excellent  bait  after  they  have  been  baked  so 
as  to  render  them  sufficiently  hard  to  remain  on  the  hook.  When  they 
are  about  to  enter  the  pupal  state  they  close  the  mouths  of  their  cells 
with  a  silken  cover,  through  which  the  black  eyes  are  plainly  visible, 
and  there  wait  until  they  emerge  in  the  perfect  state.  The  grubs  are 
fed  with  other  insects,  fruit,  sugar,  meat,  or  honey,  the  mingled  mass 
being  disgorged  from  the  stomachs  of  the  nurses  and  thus  given  to 
their  charge. 

There  are  separate  cells  for  males,  females,  and  neuters,  the  former 
two  classes  being  produced  only  toward  the  end  of  autumn,  so  as  to 
keep  up  a  supply  for  the  succeeding  year. 

There  are,  perhaps,  few  insects  so  important  to  mankind  as  those 
which  procure  the  sweet  substance  so  well  known  by  the  name  of 
honey.  Nearly  all  the  honey-making  Hymenoptera  are  furnished 
with  stings,  and  in  many  species  the  poison  is  fearfully  intense.  Some 
of  these  insects,  such  as  the  Hive  Bee,  make  waxen  cells  of  raathemat- 


Female.  Worker. 

The  Hive  Bee  {Apis  melUfica], 

ical  accuracy,  the  larvae  being  placed  in  separate  cells  and  fed  by  the 
neuters. 

This  useful  little  creature  is  so  well  known  that  a  lengthened  descrip- 
tion of  it  would  be  useless.  A  merely  general  sketch  will  be  quite  suf- 
ficient. 

The  cells  of  the  Bee  are,  as  is  well  known,  made  of  wax.  This  wax 
is  secreted  in  the  form  of  scales  under  six  little  flai)s  situated  on  the 
under  side  of  the  insect.  It  is  then  pulled  out  by  the  Bee,  and  moulded 
with  other  scales  until  a  tenacious  piece  of  wax  is  formed.  The  yellow 
substance  on  the  legs  of  the  bees  is  the  pollen  of  flowers.  This  is 
kneaded  up  by  the  bees,  and  is  called  bee-bread. 

The  cells  are  six-sided — a  form  which  gives  the  greatest  space  and 
strength  with  the  least  amount  of  material — but  the  method  employed 
by  the  Bees  to  give  the  cells  that  shape  is  not  known.  The  cells  in 
which  the  drone  or  male  Bees  are  hatched  are  much  larger  than  those 
of  the  ordinary  or  worker  Bee.     The  edges  of  the  cells  are  strengthened 


THE  HUMBLE  BEE.  637 

with  a  substance  called  propolis,  which  is  a  gummy  material  procured 
from  the  buds  of  various  trees.  This  propolis  is  also  used  to  stop  up 
crevices  and  to  mix  with  wax  when  the  comb  has  to  be  strength- 
ened. 

The  royal  cells  afe  much  larger  than  any  others,  and  are  of  an  oval 
shape.  When  a  worker  larva  is  placed  in  a  royal  cell  and  fed  in  a 
royal  manner  it  imbibes  the  principles  of  royalty,  and  becomes  a  queen 
accordingly.  This  practice  is  adopted  if  the  Queen  Bee  should  die  and 
there  be  no  other  queen  to  take  her  place. 

The  Queen  Bee  is  lady  paramount  in  her  own  hive,  and  suffers  no 
other  queen  to  divide  rule  with  her.  Should  a  strange  queen  gain  ad- 
mittance, there  is  a  battle  at  once,  which  ceases  not  until  one  has  been 
destroyed. 

At  the  swarming-time  the  old  queen  is  sadly  put  out  by  the  encroach- 
ments of  various  young  queens,  who  each  wish  for  the  throne,  and  at 
last  is  so  agitated  that  she  rushes  out  pf  the  hive,  attended  by  a  large 
body  of  subjects,  and  thus  the  first  swarm  is  formed.  In  seven  or  eight 
days  the  queen  next  in  age  also  departs,  taking  with  her  another  supply 
of  subjects.  When  all  the  swarms  have  left  the  original  hive,  the  re- 
maining queens  fight  until  one  gains  the  throne. 

The  old  method  of  destroying  Bees  for  the  sake  of  the  honey  was 
not  only  cruel,  but  wasteful,  as  by  burning  some  dry  "  puff-ball "  the 
bees  are  stupefied,  and  shortly  return  to  consciousness.  The  employ- 
ment of  a  "cap"  on  the  hive  is  an  excellent  plan,  as  the  Bees  deposit 
honey  alone  in  these  caps,  without  any  admixture  of  grubs  or  bee- 
bread.  Extra  hives  at  the  side,  with  a  communication  from  the  orig- 
inal hive,  are  also  useful. 

The  Queen  Bee  lays  about  eighteen  thousand  eggs.  Of  these  about 
eight  hundred  are  males  or  drones  and  four  or  five  queens,  the  remain- 
der being  workers. 

In  some  cases,  such  as  the  common  Humble  Bee,  the  cells  are  egg- 
shaped,  each  cell  being  either  occupied  by  a  larva  or  filled  with  honey; 
while  in  some  species  the  eggs  are  placed  parasitically  in  the  nests  of 
other  Bees,  so  that  the  larvse  feed  either  upon  the  stores  of  food  gath- 
ered for  the  involuntary  host  or  upon  the  body  of  the  deluded  insect 
itself. 

In  gathering  honey  the  Bees  lick  the  sweet  juices  from  flowers,  swal- 
low them,  and  store  them  for  the  time  in  a  membranous  sac,  popularly 
called  the  honey-bag.  When  this  sac  is  filled  the  Bee  returns  to  the 
hive  and  discharges  the  honey  into  a  cell,  closing  its  mouth  with  wax 
when  it  is  filled.  The  structure  of  the  bee-cell,  its  marvellous  adaptation 
to  the  several  purposes  for  which  it  is  intended,  its  mathematical  ac- 
curacy of  construction,  whereby  the  best  amount  of  material  is  found 
to  afl^ord  the  greatest  amount  of  space  and  strength,  are  subjects  too 

54 


638 


THE  LEPIDOPTERA. 


complicated  to  be  here  described,  but  may  be  found  in  mauy  works 
which  have  been  written  upon  the  Hive  Bee. 

For  want  of  space  we  are  compelled  to  pass  by  many  interesting 
Hymenoptera,  such  as  the  Leaf-cutter  Bees,  the  Wood-borers,  and  the 
]\I;\son  Bees,  each  of  which  creatures  would  demand  more  space  than 
can  be  given  to  the  whole  of  the  insects. 


LEPIDOPTERA, 

We  now  come  to  an  order  in  w^hich  are  included  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  insects — namely,  the  Butterflies  and  Moths.  On  account  of  the 
feather-like  scales  with  which  their  wings  are  covered,  and  to  which  the 
exquisite  coloring  is  due,  they  are  technically  called  Lepidoptera,  or 
Scale-winged  Insects. 

The  wings  are  four  in  number,  and  it  is  occasionally  found  that  the 
two  pairs  are  connected  togethe^^by  a  strong  bristle  in  one  and  a  hook- 
like appendage  in  the  other,  so  that  the  two  wings  of  each  side  practi- 


The  Swallow-tailed  Butterfly  [Papilio  machaon). 


cally  become  one  member,  in  a  manner  similar  to  the  formation  of  many 
hymenopterous  insects.  Those  species  which  take  any  nourishment 
subsist  entirely  upon  liquid  food,  which  is  drawn  into  the  system  by 
suction,  and  not  by  means  of  a  brush,  as  is  the  case  with  the  liquid- 
feeding  beetles  and  bees.  The  wings  are  strengthened  by  nervures,  which 
are  of  great  use  in  determining  the  position  of  the  insects. 

The  scales  with  which  the  membranous  wings  are  at  once  protected 


THE  PEACOCK  BUTTERFLY.  639 

and  adorned  are  of  various  shapes,  sometimes  broad,  flat,  and  overlap- 
ping each  other  like  the  tiles  of  a  house-roof. 

The  series  of  changes  undergone  by  the  Lepidoptera  are  perhaps  bet- 
ter known  than  those  of  any  other  order,  on  account  of  the  large  di- 
mensions and  conspicuous  habits  of  the  insects. 

Having  given  this  general  glance  at  the  order,  we  will  now  proceed 
^  our  examples. 

In  the  system  which  is  adopted  in  this  w^ork  the  Lepidoptera  are  di- 
vided into  two  sections,  the  Butterflies  and  Moths,  technically  called  Rho- 
palocera  and  Heterocera,  which  may  generally  be  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  the  form  of  the  antennae,  those  of  the  Butterflies  having 
knobs  at  their  tips,  whilst  those  of  the  Moths  are  pointed.  The  fir^t 
family  is  that  of  the  Papilionidise,  in  which  are  included  the  largest  and 
most  magnificent  specimens  of  this  order. 

The  beautiful  insect  represented  on  page  638  is  not  very  uncommon  in 
some  parts  of  England,  especially  in  the  fenny  parts  of  Cambridgeshire. 

It  flies  with  exceeding  rapidity,  nearly  in  a  straight  line,  and  is  very 
difficult  to  capture. 

The  color  of  the  wings  is  black,  variegated  most  beautifully  with  yel- 
low markings,  and  near  the  extremity  of  each  hinder  wing  is  a  circular 
red  spot  surmounted  by  a  crescent  of  blue,  and  the  whole  surrounded 
by  a  black  ring. 

We  now  come  to  another  family,  called  the  Pieridse,  which  may  be 
known  at  once  by  the  manner  in  which  the  inner  edges  of  the  hinder 
wings  are  folded,  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of  gutter,  in  which  the  abdomen 
rests.  In  all  these  insects  the  colors  are  comparatively  sober,  the  upper 
surface  being  generally  white  and  black,  and  the  under  surface  spar- 
ingly colored  with  red  and  yellow.  To  this  family  belong  our  common 
White  Butterflies,  together  with  the  well-known  Brimstone  Butterfly 
(the  harbinger  of  spring),  all  the  Marbled  Butterflies,  the  Orange-tip, 
and  the  now  scarce  Veined-white. 

The  large  and  important  family  of  the  Nymphalidre  contains  a  vast 
number  of  species,  most  of  which  are  notable  for  their  brilliant  color- 
ing, and  many  of  which  are  well-known  natives  of  England. 

To  this  family  belongs  the  brightly-colored  genus  Vanessa,  of  which 
the  common  Peacock  Butterfly  is  a  familiar  British  example.  This 
insect,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  of  our  British  butterflies,  is  very  com- 
mon in  our  own  country,  and  may  be  seen  very  plentifully  in  fields, 
roads,  or  woods,  w^heu  the  beauty  of  its  coloring  never  fails  to  attract 
admiration. 

The  caterpillar  of  the  Peacock  Butterfly  feeds  upon  the  stinging  net- 
tle, in  common  with  others  of  the  same  genus,  and  therefore  the  insect 
is  worthy  of  our  protection.  Its  common  color  is  black,  studded  with 
tiny  white  points.     The  chrysalis  is  one  of  those  which  hang  suspended 


640 


THE  LIME  HAWK-MOTH. 


during  the  time  of  their  Donage,  and  is  frequently  found  to  be  infested 
with  the  ichneuraon-fiy. 

The  beautiful  Scarlet  Admiral,  so  well  known  by  the  broad  scar- 
let stripes  that  are  drawn  over  the  wings,  the  Large  and  Small  Tor- 
toise-shell Butterflies,  the  Comma  Butterfly — so  called  from  a 
comma-shaped  white  mark  under  the  wings — and  the  rare  and  beauti- 
ful Camberwell  Beauty,  are  all  British  members  of  this  genus. 

The  second  great  division  of  the  Lepidoptera  is  that  of  the  Moths, 
distinguishable  by  means  of  the  pointed  tij^s  of  their  antennae,  which  are 

often  furnished  with 
^^  a  row  01  projections 

on  either  side,  like 
the  teeth  of  a  comb, 
and  in  the  males  are 
sometimes  supplied 
with  branching  ap- 
pendages. 

The  first  family 
of  the  Moths  is 
the  Sphingidffi,  a 
group  which  con- 
tains a  great  num- 
ber of  swift- wing- 
ed insects,  popular- 

--ii      "  ^  /^  ■'y    ^^^    appropri- 

rtj  \i^^^^^  ^i^^   ately  called  Hawk- 

moths,  from  the 
strength  and  speed 
of  their  flight.  In 
many  instances  the 
proboscis  is  of  great  length,  sometimes  equalling  that  of  the  entire 
body,  and  in  such  instances  it  is  found  that  the  insect  is  able  to  feed 
while  on  the  wing,  balancing  itself  before  a  flower,  hovering  on  trem- 
ulous wmg,  and  extracting  the  sweets  by  suction. 

One  of  the  commonest  species  of  this  genus  is  the  Lime  Hawk-moth 
[Smermthus  Tilke),  so  called  because  the  larva  feeds  on  the  leaves  of  the 
hrae  tree.  It  is  a  green  caterpillar,  thick-bodied,  covered  with  little 
protuberances,  and  upon  each  side  are  some  whitish  streaks  edged  with 
red  or  yellow.  Just  at  the  end  of  the  tail  there  is  a  short  knobby  pro- 
tuberance, and  the  fore  part  of  the  body  is  rather  narrow.  Wh^n  the 
arva  has  completed  its  time  of  feeding,  it  descends  to  the  ground  and 
buries  itself  about  eight  inches  deep  in  the  earth,  whence  the  chrysalis 
may  be  extracted  by  the  help  of  a  trowel.  Besides  the  lime,  the  elm 
and  birch  are  favored  residences  of  this  insect. 


The  Peacock  Butterfly  ( Vanessa  To). 


P 


THE  DEATH'S-HEAD  MOTH. 


641 


The  splendid  insect  appropriately  named  the  Death's-head  Moth 
is  tolerably  common  in  our  island,  though,  from  its  natural  habits  and 
the  instinct  of  concealment  with  which  the  caterpillar  is  endowed,  it  is 
not  so  frequently  seen  as  are  many  rarer  insects.  Owing  to  the  remark- 
ably faithful  delineation  of  a  skull  and  bones  upon  the  back  of  the 
thorax  the  insect  is  often  an  object  of  great  terror  to  the  illiterate,  and 
has  more  than  once  thrown  a  whole  province  into  consternation,  the 
popular  idea  being  thai  it  wrs  some  infra-natural  hcim  that  was  ^ent 


The  Death's-head  Moth  {Achemntia  Airnpos). 

upon  the  earth  as  a  messenger  of  pestilence  and  woe,  if  not,  indeed,  the 
shape  assumed  by  some  witch  residing  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  caterpillar  of  this  moth  is  enormously  large,  sometimes  measur- 
ing five  inches  in  length  and  being  very  stoutly  made.  It  feeds  on  va- 
rious plants,  the  jessamine  and  potato  being  its  favorites,  and  may  best 
be  found  by  traversing  potato-grounds  in  the  night  and  directing  the 
light  of  a  bull's-eye  lantern  among  the  leaves.  It  can  readily  be  kept 
and  bred,  but  requires  some  careful  tending,  and  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  it  will  eat  only  the  particular  food  to  which  it  has  been  ac- 
customed, and  if  bred  among  the  potato  will  refuse  the  jessamine  leaf, 
and  vice  versa.     When  the  caterpillar  is  about  to  change  into  its  chrys- 

54  *  2  Q 


642  THE  HUMMING-BIRD  MOTH  AND  THE  HYLAS. 


alis  state  it  should  be  placed  in  a  vessel  containiDg  seven  or  eight 
inches  of  earth,  which  should  be  kept  moderately  damp  by  means  of 
a  moist  sponge  or  wet  piece  of  moss  laid  on  the  top.  If  this  precau- 
tion be  not  taken,  the  shell  of  the  chrysalis  is  apt  to  become  so  hard 
that  the  moth  is  unable  to  break  its  way  out,  and  perishes  in  the  shell. 
I  have  several  specimens  where  the  moth  has  thus  perished. 

One  of  the  most  curious  points  in  the  history  of  the  Death's-head 
Moth  is  its  power  of  producing  a  sound— a  faculty  which  is  truly  re- 
markable among  the  Lepidoptera.  The  noise  is  something  like  the 
grating,  squeaking  cry  of  the  field-cricket,  but  not  nearly  so  loud. 

Although  not  gifted  with  the  brilliant  hues  which  decorate  so  many 
of  the  Hawk-moths,  the  Humming-bird  Moth  is  a  more  interesting 
creature  than  manv  an  insect  which  can  boast  of  treble  its  dimensions 

and  dazzling  richness  of  color. 
This  insect  may  readily  be  known 
Iby  its  very  long  proboscis,  the 
tufts  at  the  end  of  the  abdomen, 
and  the  peculiar  flight,  which  so 
%  exactly  resembles  that  of  hum- 
ming-birds that  persons  accus- 
tomed to  those  feathered  gems 
have  often  been  deceived  into  the 
idea  that  England  actually  pos- 
sesses a  true  humming-bird.  Ow- 
ing to  its  arrowy  flight  and  the 
piercing  vision  with  which  such 
flight  is  always  accompanied,  the 
capture  of  the  moth  is  a  matter 
of  no  small  difficulty,  and  when 
it  settles  the  quiet,  sober  hues  of 
its  plumage  render  it  so  similar  in  color  to  the  objects  on  which  it  rests 
that  the  eye  can  hardly  distinguish  its  outline;  and,  being  gifted  with 
an  instinctive  appreciation  of  the  objects  best  suited  for  its  conceal- 
ment, it  is  sure  to  alight  on  some  surface  which  presents  hues  akin  to 
those  of  its  body  and  wings. 

In  the  curious  moths  of  which  the  Hylas  is  a  good  example  the 
wings  are  as  transparent  as  those  of  the  bee  tribe,  and,  indeed,  the 
hymenopterous  idea  seems  to  run  through  the  whole  of  these  creatures 
so  thoroughly  that  the  shape  of  their  bodies,  the  mode  of  flight,  even 
the  manner  in  which  they  move  the  abdomen,  are  so  bee-  and  wasp- 
like that  an  inexperienced  observer  would  certainly  mistake  them  for 
some  species  of  the  Hymenoptera,  Others  there  are  which  bear  an 
equal  resemblance  to  the  gnats,  and  are  of  correspondingly  small  di- 
mensions.    These  insects  fly  in  a  manner  somewhat  resembling  the 


The  Humming-bird  Moth  [Macrogl 
slellatarum). 


THE  CLEARWING,  THE  LUNAR,  AND  THE  GOAT  MOTH.  643 

movements  of  the  humming-bird  moth,  and  dart  about  with  consider- 
able speed,  though  they  are  not  so  craftily  wary  as  that  insect,  and  can 
be  captured  with  comparative  ease. 

In  the  ^geriidse  the  wings  are  as  transparently  clear  as  in  the  Sesi- 
adse,  and  the  general  aspect  is  equally  like  that  ofn  moth.  The  Clear- 
wing  Moth  is  very  common  in  England,  and  is  fond  of  haunting  cur- 
rant-bushes, where  it  may  be  captured  without  much  difficulty,  being 
rather  dull  and  sluggish  in  taking  to  flight,  though  when  once  on  the 
wing  it  is  quick  and  agile  in  its  movements.  On  account  of  its  resem- 
blance to  the  large  gnats  it  is  popularly  called  the  Gnat  Clearwing 
{^geria  tipulijormis).  The  caterpillar  of  this  insect  feeds  upon  the 
pith  of  the  currant  trees. 

The  Lunar  Hornet  Clearwing  (TrocMlium  bemhedjorme)  is  an 
insect  which  is  of  tolerably,  but  not  very,  frequent  occurrence.  Its 
popular  name  is  given  to  it  in  allusion  to  its  singular  resemblance  to 
a  hornet,  the  similitude  being  so  close  as  to  deceive  a  casual  glance,  es- 
pecially when  the  insect  is  on  the  wing. 

The  larva  of  the  present  species  feeds  upon  the  willow,  boring  into 
the  young  wood,  and  sometimes  damaging  it  to  a  serious  extent.  All 
these  insects  inhabit,  while  in  the  larval  state,  the  interior  of  branches 
or  roots,  and  make  a  kind  of  cocoon  from  the  nibbled  fragments  of  the 
wood.  Just  before  undergoing  the  transformation  the  larva  turns  round, 
so  as  to  get  its  head  toward  the  entrance  of  the  burrow,  and  after  it  has 
changed  into  the  pupal  form  is  able,  by  means  of  certain  projections  on 
the  segments,  to  push  itself  along  until  the  upper  half  of  the  body  pro- 
trudes through  the  orifice  and  permits  the  perfect  moth  to  make  its 
escape  into  the  open  air. 

The  wings  of  this  insect  are  transparent,  with  orange-red  nervures 
and  dusky  fringes.  The  head  and  thorax  are  shining  brown-black, 
with  a  yellow  collar,  and  the  abdomen  is  ringed  with  orange  and  dark 
brown. 

The  well-known  Goat  Moth  is,  next  to  the  death's-head  moth,  one 
of  the  largest  of  the  British  Lepidoptera,  its  body  being  thick,  stout, 
and  massive,  and  its  wings  wide  and  spreading. 

The  larva  itself  is  but  little  smaller  than  that  of  the  death's-head 
moth,  and  is  by  no  means  an  attractive-looking  creature.  Its  body  is 
smooth  and  shining,  mostly  of  dull  mahogany-red  tinged  with  ochreous 
yellow,  and  having  a  large  oval  patch  of  chestnut  on  the  back  of  each 
segment.  It  is  gifted  with  a  curiously  wedge-shaped  head,  and  its  mus- 
cular power  is  enormous,  as  may  be  proved  by  actual  experiment  dur- 
ing the  life  of  the  creature  or  inferred  from  the  marvellous  arrange- 
ment of  muscles  which  are  made  visible  upon  dissection. 

It  exudes  a  liquid  of  powerful  and  fetid  odor,  thought  by  some  to 
resemble  the  unpleasant  effluvium  exhaled  by  the  he-goat.     Its  influ- 


644 


THE  WOOD  LEOPAED  MOTH. 


euce  extends  to  a  considerable  distance,  and  a  practised  entomologist 
will  often  detect  the  presence  of  a  Goat-moth  caterpillar  simply  by  the 
aid  of  the  nostrils. 

The  caterpillar  passes  three  years  in  the  larval  stage  of  existence, 
and  when  the  time  approaches  for  its  change,  it  ceases  to  burrow  and 
scoops  out  a  convenient  cell  in  the  tree,  lining  it  with  a  fabric  of  mixed 


The  Goat  Moth  {Cossus  ligniperda). 

wood-scrapings  and  silken  threads.  Before  it  emerges  from  this  retreat 
it  pushes  itself  through  its  burrow  like  a  sweep  ascending  a  chimney, 
protrudes  about  half  of  the  body,  and  then  issues  from  the  chrysalis 
shell,  which  it  leaves  within  the  burrow. 

The  Wood  Leopard  Moth  is  a  very  prettily-marked  insect,  though 
without  the  least  brilliancy  of  color.  The  caterpillar  of  this  insect  feeds 
upon  the  interior  of  many  trees,  seeming  to  prefer  the  wood  of  the  apple, 
pear,  and  other  fruit  trees.  It  is  a  naked,  fleshy-looking  larva,  of  a  light 
yellow  color,  and  having  a  double  row  of  black  spots  upon  each  segment. 
Like  the  goat  moth,  it  prepares  a  cocoon-like  cell  when  it  is  about  to 
take  the  pupal  form,  but  the  lining  is  of  stronger  materials,  cemented 
firmly  together  with  a  glutinous  substance  secreted  by  the  insect.  The 
moth  is  seldom  seen  until  July,  and  is  tolerably  plentiful  in  some  places, 
appearing  to  be  decidedly  local  and  rather  intermittent  in  its  visits. 

The  family  of  the  Bombycidse  includes  several  insects  of  inestimable 
value  to  mankind,  the  various  silk-producing  moths  being  included  in 
its  ranks.  The  common  Silk-worm  is  too  familiar  to  need  any  notice, 
but,  as  it  is  not  generally  known  that  upward  of  forty  silk-producing 
moths  exist  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  a  short  history  will  be  given 
of  some  of  them,  together  with  a  brief  description  of  one  of  the  finest 
species.     All  these  insects  secrete  the  silk  in  two  large  intestine-like 


THE  TIGER  MOTH. 


645 


vessels  in  the  interior,  which  contain  a  gelatinous  kind  of  substance, 
and  become  enormously  large  just  before  the  caterpillar  is  about  to 
change  into  a  pupa.  Both  the  silk  organs  unite  in  a  common  tube  at 
the  mouth,  technically  called  the  spinneret,  and  through  this  tube  the 
semi-liquid  is  ejected.  As  soon  as  it  comes  into  contact  with  air  it  hard- 
ens into  that  soft,  shining  fibre  with  which  we  are  so  familiar. 

If  a  single  fibre  of  silk  be  examined  through  a  good  microscope,  it 
will  be  seen  to  consist  of  two  smaller  fibres  laid  parallel  to  each  other, 
like  the  barrels  of  a  double  gun,  this  structure  being  due  to  the  double 
secreting  vessels.  The  goodness  of  silk  consists  chiefly  in  the  manner 
in  which  these  semi-fibres  are  placed  together. 

The  caterpillar  employs  the  silk  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  a 
cocoon  in  which  it  can  lie  until  it  has  assumed  the  perfect  form,  and 
proceeds  with  won- 
derful regularity 
and  despatch  in 
its  work,  its  head 
passing  from  side 
to  side,  always 
carrying  with  it  a 
thread,  and  the 
cocoon  being  grad- 
ually formed  into 
the  oval  shape 
which  it  finally 
assumes.  The  few  outermost  layers  are  always  rough  and  of  poor  qual- 
ity ;  these  are  stripped  ofi",  and,  the  end  of  the  thread  being  found,  it  is 
fastened  to  a  wheel  and  spun  oflT  into  a  hank  of  soft  yellow  fibre.  The 
coloring  matter  is  very  variable,  being  sometimes  hardly  visible,  and  at 
others  giving  the  silk  a  bright  orange  tint.  It  fades  much  on  exposure 
to  light. 

The  family  of  the  Arctiidse — so  called  because  some  of  the  hair-cov- 
ered larvae  have  a  bear-like  look — is  represented  in  England  by  many 
examples,  some  being  really  handsome  insects,  and  others  remarkable 
for  some  peculiarity  in  themselves  or  the  larvse. 

The  Tiger  Moth. — This  common  but  beautiful  moth  is  found  in 
the  beginning  of  autumn.  It  runs  on  the  ground  with  such  swiftness 
as  often  to  be  mistaken  for  a  mouse.  I  have  more  than  once  seen  a 
kitten  chasing  a  Tiger  Moth  among  the  flowers  in  a  garden,  evidently 
deceived  by  its  resemblance  to  a  mouse.  The  larva  is  popularly  called 
"  the  woolly  bear."  It  is  rather  large,  and  is  surrounded  with  tufts 
of  long  elastic  hairs  of  a  reddish  brown  color,  which  serve  as  a  defence 
against  many  enemies.  When  disturbed  it  rolls  itself  round,  just  as 
a  hedgehog  does,  and  if  on  a  branch  suffers  itself  to  fall  to  the  ground, 


The  Wood  Leopard  Moth  {Zeuzera  cesculi). 


Q4:6  THE  HOUSE-BUILDER  MOTH. 

when  the  long  hairy  covering  defends  it  from  being  injured  by  the  fall. 
When  the  caterpillar  is  about  to  change  to  a  pupa  it  spins  a  kind  of 
hammock,  and  lies  there  until  it  comes  forth  as  a  moth. 

The  color  and  markings  of  this  moth  vary  considerably.  The  usual 
tints  are— the  thorax  brown,  the  body  red,  striped  with  black.  The 
two  anterior  wings  are  cream-color,  marked  with  bold  patches  of 
a  deep  brown ;  the  posterior  wings  are  bright  red,  spotted  with  bluish 
black. 

Perhaps  the  most  curious  example  of  this  family  is  a  species  which 
derives  its  popular  name  from  its  habits. 

The  House-builder  Moth  ( Oiketicus  SandersH)  is  common  in  many 
parts  of  the  West  Indies,  and  is  in  some  places  so  plentiful  as  to  do 
considerable  damage  to  the  fruit  trees.  As  soon  as  the  larva  is  hatched 
from  the  eg^  it  sets  to  work  in  building  its  habitation,  and  even  before 
it  begins  to  feed  this  industrious  insect  begins  to  work.  The  house  is 
made  of  bits  of  wood  and  leaves,  bound  together  with  silken  threads 
secreted  in  the  interior.  When  the  creature  is  smalJ  and  the  house  is 
of  no  great  weight  it  is  carried  nearly  upright,  but  when  it  attains  size 
and  consequent  weight  it  lies  flat,  and  is  dragged  along  in  that  attitude. 
The  entrance  of  this  curious  habitation  is  so  made  that  the  sides  can 
be  drawn  together,  and  whenever  the  creature  feels  alarmed  it  pulls 
the  cords,  and  so  secures  itself  from  foes. 

The  next  family  derives  the  name  of  Geometridse  from  the  mode 
of  walking  adopted  by  the  larvse.  These  creatures  have  no  legs  on 
the  middle  of  the  body,  and  are  in  consequence  unable  to  crawl  in  the 
usual  manner.  Their  mode  of  progression  is  popularly  and  appro- 
priately termed  "looping,"  and  the  caterpillars' are  called  "  loopers." 
When  one  of  these  larvse  desires  to  advance,  it  grasps  the  object  firmly 
with  its  fore  feet  and  draws  the  hind  feet  close  to  them,  forming  the 
body  into  an  arched  shape,  not  unlike  the  attitude  of  a  cat  which 
meets  a  strange  dog.  The  hinder  feet  then  take  a  firm  hold ;  the  body 
is  projected  forward  until  the  fore  feet  can  repeat  the  process.  The 
whole  action  of  the  larva  reminds  the  observer  of  the  leech  when 
crawling. 

The  power  of  grasp  and  general  strength  of  muscle  enjoyed  by  these 
larv3e  are  really  surprising.  Many  of  them  can  seize  a  branch  with 
their  hind  feet,  stretch  out  the  body  nearly  horizontally,  and  remain  in 
that  position  for  hours.  Some  slight  idea  of  the  muscular  force  requir: 
ed  to  perform  this  action  may  be  gained  by  grasping  an  upright  pole 
with  the  hands  and  trying  to  hold  the  body  .out  horizontally.  Several 
of  these  caterpillars  are  of  dull  brown  hues,  and,  being  furnished  with 
sundry  projections  in  different  parts  of  their  bodies,  they  resemble  dried 
sticks  so  closely  that  they  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  branches 
to  which  they  cling. 


THE  SWALLOW-TAILED  AND  THE  WHITE-PLUME  MOTH.      647 

The  Swallow-tailed  Moth  is  a  well-known  British  species,  very 
common  in  woods,  and  being  mostly  found  among  the  underwood, 
whence  it  may  be  dislodged  by  beating  the  branches.  The  caterpillar 
feeds  on  many  shrubs,  but  prefers  the  willow,  the  lime,  and  elder  trees, 
the  elder  being  its  chief  favorite.    The  cocoon  is  made  of  withered  leaves. 

The  color  of  the  larva  is  reddish  brown,  with  some  dark  longitudinal 
lines,  and  before  it  changes  into  the  pupal  state  it  makes  a  slight  silken 
cocoon  among  leaves.  The  color  of  the  wings  is  delicate  sulphur  yellow, 
fading  to  shining  white  at  the  base  of  the  wings,  and  diversified  with 
narrow  streaks  of  brown. 

The  family  of  the  Hyponomeutidse  contains  many  beautiful  species, 
none  of  which  are  of  great  size,  but  which,  when  magnified  and  a  strong 
light  thrown  upon 
them,  seem  to  be 
amongst  the  loveliest 
of  the  moth  tribes. 

Our  last  example 
of  the  Lepidoptera  is 
the  beautiful  White- 
plume  Moth,  an  in- 
sect which  never  fails 
to  attract  attention 
on  account  of  the 
singular  elegance  and 
beauty  of  its  form. 

This  insect  belongs 
to  a  small  family 
which  is  remarkable 
for  the  fact  that,  ex- 
cept in  one  genus, 
the  wings,  instead  of 
being  broad  membra- 
nous   structures,   are 

cleft  into  narrow  rays  _  ,^        ^^       ,  .j    .,    x 

feathered  in  a    most'^^^  White-Plume  Moth  {Pteiophorus  pentadactylus). 
,         1   T      ^  Natural  size  and  magnified. 

soft      and      delicate 

manner.  The  White-plume  Moth  is  to  be  seen  in  the  evenings,  fly- 
ing in  a  curious,  uncertain  manner,  and  looking  not  unlike  a  snow- 
flake  blown  casually  by  the  wind.  It  seems  never  to  fly  to  any  great 
distance,  settling  quite  openly  on  leaves  or  plants,  without  taking  the 
precaution  of  clinging  to  the  under  side,  as  is  the  custom  with  so  many 
of  the  smaller  moths.  When  it  rests  it  folds  the  wings,  so  that  they 
look  like  only  a  single  broad  ray.  The  legs  are  very  long  and  slender. 
The  color  of  this  insect  is  pure  white. 


64S 


THE  CICADA. 


HOxMOPTERA. 

In  the  next  order  are  comprised  some  very  grotesque  iraseets,  some 
of  which  have  been  thought  to  belong  to  other  orders,  and  a  few  not 
being  known  to  be  insects  at  all  until  comparatively  late  years.  They 
have  rounded  bodies,  not  more  than  three  joints  in  the  tarsi,  and  their 
wings  are  four  in  number,  wholly  membranous,  the  fore  pair  being 
larger  than  the  hinder,  but  not  overlapping  in  repose.  The  mouth  forms 
a  kind  of  tube,  sometimes  longer  than  the  body,  and  often  sufficiently 
hard  and  stiff  to  pierce  the  skin. 

In  this  curious  order  are  placed  the  Aphides,  those  little  green  insects 
that  swarm  upon  roses  and  other  plants  and  are  termed  "  blights  "  by 
gardeners,  who  employ  that  term  in  a  strangely  wide  sense;  the  Cicadse, 
with  their  beautiful  membranous  wings,  their  large  heads,  and  their 
loud  voices ;  the  tribe  of  Hoppers,  of  which  the  Cuckoo-spit  Insect — 
known  in  its  perfect  state  under  the  name  of  Frog-hopper — and  the 
beautiful  Scarlet  Hopper  are  familiar  British  examples ; 
the  wonderful  Lantern-flies,  also  leapers,  which  are  found 
only  in  hot  climates ;  the  Wax  Insects  of  China ;  ^nd, 
lastly,  the  Scale  Insects,  or  Coccidse,  from  which  the 
"  lac "  so  important  in  commerce  is  obtained. 

The  Cicadte  have  three  joints  to  their  feet,  these  mem- 
bers affijrding  useful  characteristics  in  settling  the  precise 
position  of  the  various  species.  They  are  very  large  in- 
sects, sometimes  measuring  more  than  six  inches  between 
the  tips  of  the  expanded  wings.  Their  mouth  or  beak  is 
three-jointed  and  very  long,  being  tucked  under  the  body 
when  not  required.  The  females  are  furnished  with  a  cu- 
The  Cicada  rious  apparatus  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  cut  grooves 
\hUat^  ^^^'   ^°  ^^^  branches  of  trees  for  the  purpose  of  depositing 

their  eggs  therein. 
The  male  Cicada  has  the  power  of  producing  a  shrill  and  ear-pier- 
cing sound,  so  loud  in  many  species  that  it  can  be  heard  at  a  consider- 
able distance  and  becomes  a  positive  annoyance,  like  the  same  tune 
played  for  several  hours  without  intermission.  The  organ  by  which 
the  sound  is  produced  is  internal,  but  its  position  may  be  seen  exter- 
nally by  looking  at  the  under  side  of  the  body,  just  behind  the  last 
pair  of  legs,  where  a  pair  of  horny  plates  may  be  seen.  These  plates 
are  the  protecting  covers  of  the  sound-producing  apparatus,  which  con- 
sists of  two  drum-like  membranes  and  a  set  of  powerful  muscles.  The 
color  of  the  perfect  insect  is  mostly  of  a  yellowish  cast,  and  the  wings 
are  firm,  shining,  and  membranous,  somewhat  resembling  those  of  the 
dragon-fly  in  texture,  but  having  larger  cells  or  spaces  between  the 
nervures. 


THE  CERCOPID^  AND  THE  APHIDES.  649 

One  species  of  Cicada  is  a  native  of  England  (  Cicada  Anglica),  and 
is  to  be  found  in  the  New  Forest. 

The  Cercopidse,  or  Hoppers,  are  well  known  in  this  country,  mostly 
from  the  habits  of  the  larva  and  the  saltatorial  powers  of  the  perfect 
insect.  The  Cuckoo-spit,  or  Frog-hopper,  is  very  plentiful  in  this 
country.  The  larva  fixes  itself  upon  various  plants  and  sucks  their 
juices  through  its  long  beak,  which  it  plunges  into  the  soft  substance. 
When  the  accumulation  of  froth  is  very  great,  which  usually  happens 
in  the  heat  of  the  day,  a  drop  of  clear  water  begins  to  form  at  the  low- 
est'part,  into  which  the  froth  drains  itself,  and  is  presently  relieved  by 
the  falling  of  the  drop.  The  scientific  name  of  this  insect  is  Aplirophora 
spurn  aria.  The  beautiful  Scarlet  Hopper  of  England  is  frequently 
found  on  ferns  in  the  outskirts  of  woods. 

Passing  by  the  Psyllidse,  another  family  of  this  order,  we  come  to 
the  Aphides,  a  family  comprising  a  great  number  of  species.  The 
whole  history  of  these  insects  is  remarkable  in  the  extreme,  presenting 
many  points  w^iich  seem  most  incredible,  w^hich  destroy  several  old-es- 
tablished opinions,  and  which  in  all  probability  will  serve,  when  fully 
investigated,  in  establishing  a  new  basis  on  which  to  found  a  more  per- 
fect system.  The  Aphides  are  wonderfully  prolific,  crowding  upon  plants 
until  they  hide  them  completely  from  view,  and  all  employed  in  suck- 
ing the  juice  by  means  of  the  peculiar  beak.  They  haunt  every  part  of 
the  plant,  the  leaves  and  their  stalks,  the  branches,  and  even  the  roots, 
being  infested  by  these  persevering  destroyers,  which  often  do  great 
damage,  and  even  force  the  leaves  and  branches  to  twist  themselves 
into  extraordinary  contortions.  Some  species  raise  certain  excrescences 
which  serve  as  habitations  for  the  insects. 

In  many  species  there  is  a  pair  of  tubercles  toward  the  extremity  of 
the  insect,  which  exude  a  sweetish  liquid  in  a  manner  analogous  to  the 
frothing  of  the  Cuckoo-spit.  This  liquid  falls  upon  the  leaves  of  trees, 
and  is  then  known  by  the  name  of  honey-dew.  Bees  are  very  fond  of 
this  substance,  and  wherever  it  is  present  in  any  quantities  may  be  seen 
licking  up  the  sweet  secretion.  Ants  are  equally  fond  of  honey-dew, 
but  they  go  to  the  fountain-head  at  once,  and  lap  it  as  it  flows  from  the 
tubercles.  Whole  regiments  of  ants  may  be  seen  ascending  trees  in 
search  of  the  Aphides,  and  it  is  very  amusing  to  see  how  they  will 
search  every  atom  of  a  tree  on  which  the  Aphides  live,  so  as  not  to 
allow  a  single  insect  to  escape  them. 

The  Cochineal  Insect  (Coccus  cacti)  belongs  to  the  same  order. 
This  species  is  a  native  of  Mexico  and  lives  upon  a  kind  of  cactus, 
called,  from  its  insect  guest,  the  Cactus  cochin eUiferus. 

The  Lac  Insect  ( Coccus  lacca)  resides  in  India  and  the  hotter  parts 

of  Asia. 
55 


650         THE  WATER  SCORPION  AND  THE  WHEEL-BUG. 

HETEROPTERA. 

These  insects  are  readily  kuowu  by  several  conspicuous  character- 
istics. The  wings  are  four  in  number,  and  the  front  pair  are  very 
peculiar  in  their  structure,  the  basal  portion  being  horny,  like  the 
elytra  of  beetles,  and  the  remaining  portion  membranous,  like  the 
hinder  wings  of  the  same  insect.  In  some  species,  however,  the  wings 
are  wanting,  as  in  the  common  Bed-bug  [Clmex  lectularius).  The  body 
is  always  much  flattened,  the  mouth  is  beak-like,  and  in  the  pupal  stage 
the  creature  is  active  and  resembles  the  perfect  insect,  except  in  its 
want  of  wings. 

The  family  of  the  Nepidse  is  represented  in  England  by  the  common 
Water  Scorpion,  a  very  flat  and  leaf-like  insect,  which  is  found  abun- 
dantly in  slow-running  streams,  ditches,  and  ponds.  It  derives  its 
popular  name  from  its  scorpion-like  aspect,  the  two  slender  filaments 
appended  to  the  abdomen  representing  the  sting-tipped  tail,  and  the 
raptorial  fore  legs  resembling  the  claws.  It  is  with  these  legs  that  the 
Water  Scorpion  catches  its  prey,  which,  when  once  grasped  in  that 
hooked  extremity,  is  never  able  to  make  its  escape.  The  beak  is  short, 
but  very  strong  and  sharp,  and  is  not  bent  under  the  thorax,  as  is  the 
case  with  that  of  the  water  boatman. 

The  next  section  of  the  Heteroptera  includes  insects  which  are  mostly 
terrestrial,  though  some  are  fond  of  haunting  the  surface  of  water.  The 
Hydrometridse  are  well-known  examples  of  the  latter  insects,  and  are 
popularly  known  by  the  name  of  Water-fleas.  The  common  Gerris 
skims  over  the  surface  with  wonderful  rapidity,  wheeling  and  turning 
as  easily  as  a  skater  performing  his  manoeuvres  on  the  smooth  ice. 
But  the  Hydrometra — a  very  slender  creature,  hardly  thicker  than  a 
needle,  and  bearing  a  great  resemblance  to  the  well-known  walking- 
stick  insect — glides  slowly  over  the  surface,  mostly  keeping  among  the 
aquatic  plants  at  the  margin,  and  passing  silently  as  a  shadow  over  the 
water. 

The  family  of  the  Cimicidse  is  represented  by  the  too  common  Bed- 
bug, a  creature  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  imported  into  England 
from  America.  This  odoriferous,  flat-bodied,  rust-colored  insect  has 
derived  its  very  appropriate  name  from  the  old  English  word  bugge, 
signifying  a  nocturnal  spectre,  and  used  in  that  sense  by  the  old  writers. 
These  creatures  are  enabled,  by  means  of  their  flat  bodies,  to  creep  into 
the  smallest  crevices,  and  when  they  have  once  taken  possession  of  a 
room  can   with  difficulty  be  extirpated. 

The  Reduviidte  comprise  a  great  number  of  terrestrial  insects,  mostly 
exotic,  but  a  few  being  natives  of  our  country.  Some  of  them  are  very 
large,  and  one  species,  the  Wheel-bug  (^Arilus  serratus),  is  said  to  pos- 
sess electric  powers.     Its  popular  name  is  derived  from  the  curious  shape 


THE  APHANIPTERA  AND  DIPTEEA. 


651 


of  the  prothorax,  which  is  elevated  and  notched,  so  as  to  resemble  a  por- 
tion of  a  cog-wheel.  One  species,  Eeduvius  personatus,  inhabits  houses, 
and  is  said  to  feed  upon  the  bed-bug.  The  larva  and  pupa  of  this  in- 
sect are  difficult  to  discover,  on  account  of  their  habit  of  enveloping 
themselves  in  a  coating  of  dust.  The  Hammatocerus  belongs  to  this 
family.  The  insect  is  remarkable  for  the  curious  structure  of  the  sec- 
ond joint  of  the  antennse,  which  consists  of  numerous  small  articulations. 
The  generic  title  is  derived  from  two  Greek  words,  signifying  "  link- 
horned,"  and  is  given  to  the  insect  in  allusion  to  this  peculilirity. 


APHANIPTERA. 

We  now  come  to  another  order,  deriving  its  title  from  the  invariable 
absence  of  wings,  the  name  being  derived  from  two  Greek  words,  the 
former  signifying  "invisible," 
and  the  latter  "  a  wing."  There 
are  not  many  species  belonging 
to  this  order,  and  they  are  all 
known  by  the  popular  name  of 
Fleas. 

The  strength  and  agility  of 
the  curious  but  annoying  little 
insect  the  Flea  are  perfectly 
wonderful.  Many  of  my  readers 
have  doubtless  seen  the  exhibi-  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^'^  "'''^■^«^^')- 

tion  of  the  Industrious  Fleas,  who  drew  little  carriages  and  carried 
comparatively  heavy  weights  with  the  greatest  ease.  The  apparatus 
with  which  the  Plea  extracts  the  blood  of  its  victims  is  very  curious,  and 
forms  a  beautiful  object  under  a  microscope  of  low  power.  Its  leap 
is  tremendous  in  proportion  to  its  size.  This  property  it  enjoys  in  com- 
mon with  many  other  insects,  among  which  the  Common  Grasshopper, 
the  Frog-hopper,  and  the  Halticas,  or  Turnip-flies,  are  conspicuous.  In 
all  these  insects  the  hinder  pair  of  legs  is  very  long  and  powerful. 


DIPTERA. 

We  now  pass  to  the  Diptera,  or  Two-winged  Insects,  which  may  be 
known  not  only  by  the  single  pair  of  wings,  but  by  the  little  append- 
ages at  their  base,  called  halteres,  or  balancers,  and  which  are  the 
only  vestiges  of  the  hinder  pair  of  wings.  Moreover,  the  wings  are 
not  capable  of  being  folded.  This  order  is  of  vast  extent,  and 
includes  a  whole  host  of  species. 

The  Tipulid?e  are  very  familiar  to  us  through  the  well-known  insects 
called  Daddy  Long-legs  or  Crane-flies.     In  their  perfect  state  these 


652 


THE  BREEZE-FLY  AND  THE  BOT-FLY. 


insects  are  perfectly  harmless,  although  ignorant  people  are  afraid  to 
loiich  them.  But  in  their  larval  condition  they  are  fearful  pests,  living 
iust  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  feeding  on  the  roots  of  grasses. 

W hole  acres  of  grass  have  been  destroy- 
ed by  these  larvae,  and  some  years  ago 
Blackheath  Park  was  so  infested  with 
them  that  in  the  beginning  of  autumn 
the  ground  was  covered  thickly  with 
the  empty  pupa-cases  of  the  escaped 
insect. 

The  common  Breeze-fly  is  a  well- 
known   British    example   of    the   Ta- 
banidse.     It    is    also    known   by   the 
popular     names     of    Gad-fly     and 
The  Gad-fly  {Tahanus  bovlnm).   ^^^^       ^^   -^  ^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^  females 

are  the  only  bloodsuckers,  but  they  exert  their  sanguinary  ability  with 
terrible  force. 

The  Bot-fly,  a  large  and  bold-looking  insect,  belongs  to  the 
family  of  the  CEstridse.  All  these  insects  are  parasitic  in  or  upon  an- 
imals. The  larva  of  this  Bot-fly  resides  in  the  interior  of  horses,  and 
is  conveyed  there  in  a  very  curious  manner.  The  parent-fly  deposits 
her  eggs  upon  the  hairs  near  the  shoulders  of  the  horse,  where  the 
animal  is  sure  to  lick  them  in  order  to  rid  itself  of  the  unpleasant 
feeling  caused  by 
agglutinated  hairs. 
The  eggs  are  thus 
conveyed  to  the 
stomach,  to  the 
coats  of  which  or- 
gan the  larvae  cling, 
and  there  remain 
until  they  have  at- 
tained their  full 
growth.  They  then 
loosen  their  hold, 
and  are  carried,  to- 
gether with  the 
food,  through  the 
interior  of  the  ani- 
mal, fall  to  the 
ground,  and  im- 
mediately begin  to  burrow.  They  remain  underground  until  they  have 
undergone  their  metamorphoses,  and  then  emerge  in  the  shape  of  the 
perfect  insect. 


The  Bot-fly  {(Estrus  Equi). 


CRUSTACEA.  653 

The  Humble-bee  Fly. — This  very  curious  iusect  is  found  in  the 
early  days  of  spring,  and  may  be  seen  hovering  over  the  primroses  and 
other  spring  flowers.  It  feeds  in  the  same  manner  as  the  humming- 
bird moth,  and  much  resembles  that  insect  in  many  of  its  habits. 

CRUSTACEA. 

Having  completed  our  brief  survey  of  the  insects,  we  now  proceed 
to  the  Ceustacea,  a  very  large  class,  in  which  are  included  the  Lob- 
sters, Crabs,  Shrimps,  Water-fleas,  and  a  host  of  other  familiar  beings. 
Even  the  Cirrhipeds,  popularly  known  under  the  name  of  Barnacles, 
are  members  of  this  large  class,  and  a  number  of  curious  animals 
which  until  lately  have  been  classed  with  the  spiders  are  now  ascertained 
to  belong  to  the  Crustacea. 

These  beings  can  easily  be  separated  from  the  insects  on  account  of 
their  general  structure,  the  head  and  throat  being  fused  into  one  mass, 
called  technically  the  cephalothorax,  the  number  of  limbs  exceeding 
the  six  legs  of  the  insects,  and  the  mode  of  breathing  beiug  by  gills, 
and  not  by  air-tubes. 

The  name  of  Crustacea  is  sufficiently  appropriate,  and  is  given  to 
tnese  creatures  on  account  of  the  hard  shelly  crust  with  which  their 
bodies  and  limbs  are  covered. 

The  first  section  of  these  creatures  are  called  the  Podophthalmata, 
or  Stalk-eyed  Crustaceans,  because  their  eyes  are  set  upon  footstalks. 
The  first  order  is  that  of  the  Ten-legged  Crustaceans,  so  called  on 
account  of  the  five  pairs  of  legs  that  are  set  in  each  side.  These  are 
exclusive  of  the  complicated  apparatus  of  the  mouth  and  the  jaw-feet 
which  guard  its  entrance.  The  Crabs  are  placed  first  in  the  list  of 
Crustaceans,  and  are  technically  called  Brachyura,  or  Short-tailed 
Crustaceans,  because  their  tails  are  of  comparatively  small  size  and 
are  tucked  under  the  large  shielded  body.  In  the  preliminary  stages, 
however,  the  Crabs  have  tails  as  proportionately  long  as  those  of  a 
lobster  or  a  cray-fish. 

As  the  shelly  armor  of  the  Crustaceans  is,  in  most  cases,  so  hard, 
strong,  and  unyielding,  the  mode  of  growth  might  be  considered  a 
problem  not  very  easy  of  solution  ;  for  with  the  Crustaceans  the  growth 
continues  during  nearly  the  whole  of  life,  or  at  all  events  for  several 
years  after  they  have  passed  through  the  various  changes  to  which  they 
are  subjected  in  their  imperfect  stages  of  existence.  Their  increase 
of  size  and  weight  is  marvellously  rapid,  and  how  it  can  be  accom- 
plished without  subjecting  the  Crustaceans  to  the  lot  of  the  starveling 
mouse,  w^ho  crawled  into  a  jar  of  corn,  but  could  not  crawl  out  again 
after  feasting  on  its  contents,  seems  to  partake  of  the  character  of  an 
animated  puzzle. 


654  THE  THORNBACK  SPIDER-CRAB. 

The  answer  to  the  problem  is  simply  that  the  creature  sheds  its  ar- 
mor annually,  expands  rapidly  while  yet  covered  only  by  a  soft  skin, 
and  is  soon  protected  by  a  freshly-deposited  coat  of  shelly  substance. 
Even  this  answer  contains  a  second  problem  little  less  difficult  than 
that  which  it  solves :  How  can  a  Crustacean,  say  a  crab  or  a  lobster, 
shed  its  skin  ?  It  is  true  that  the  cast  shells  are  found,  showing  that 
the  creature  has  escaped  from  its  old  and  contracted  tenement  by  a  slit 
in  some  part  of  the  body,  such  as  the  top  of  the  carapace,  and  has  left 
its  shell  in  so  perfect  a  state  that  it  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  the 
living  animal.  But  how  did  it  manage  about  the  claws?  We  all  know 
what  large  muscular  masses  they  are,  how  very  small  is  the  aperture 
in  which  the  joint  works,  and  how  stiff  and  firm  is  the  broad  tendinous 
plate  which  is  found  in  their  interior.  Examination  shows  that  there 
is  no  opening  on  the  claws  through  which  the  creature  might  have 
drawn  the  imprisoned  limb,  and  it  is  also  evident  that  the  only  method 
by  which  these  members  can  be  extricated  is  by  pulling  them  fairly 
through  the  joints.  As  a  preliminary  step,  the  hard,  firm,  muscular 
fibres  which  fill  the  claw  and  give  it  the  well-known  pinching  power 
become  soft,  flaccid,  and  watery,  and  can  thus  be  drawn  through  the 
coraparatiyely  small  openings  through  which  the  tendons  pass  from 
one  joint  to  another.  The  sharp  and  knife-like  edges  of  the  plates  cut 
deeply  through  the  muscle,  which,  however,  is  little  injured,  on  account 
of  its  soft  consistency,  and  heals  with  great  rapidity  as  soon  as  the  an- 
imal recovers  its  strength  and  is  gifted  with  a  new  shell.  In  the  com- 
mon edible  crab  the  flesh  is  quite  unfit  for  consumption  during  this 
process,  as  any  one  can  attest  who  has  attempted  to  dress  and  eat  a 
"  watery  "  crab.  Yet  in  some  of  the  exotic  crustaceans  these  condi- 
tions are  exactly  reversed,  and  the  crabs  are  never  so  fit  for  the  table 
as  while  they  are  soft  and  shell-less,  after  the  old  suit  of  armor  has 
been  thrown  off,  and  before  the  new  integument  has  received  its  hard- 
ening. 

We  now  come  to  the  Spider-crabs,  scientifically  termed  Maiad^e. 
A  very  useful  British  species,  the  common  Thornback  Spider- 
crab,  or  Squinado,  is  plentiful  upon  our  coasts,  but  is  not  a  very 
prepossessing  creature  in  external  appearance,  its  body  being  one  mass 
of  sharp  and  not  very  short  spines,  and  its  whole  frame  possessing  a 
weird-like  and  uncomely  aspect. 

Ugly  though  it  may  be  in  an  artistic  point  of  view,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  useful  inhabitants  of  the  sea,  acting  as  a  scavenger  for  the  re- 
moval of  the  decaying  animal  matter  that  is  ever  found  in  the  seas. 
More  especially  along  the  shore,  where  the  refuse  of  mankind,  such  as 
unsalable  fish  and  crustaceans,  is  continually  being  cast  into  the  waves, 
the  Squinado  is  found  to  perform  the  necessary  office  of  removing  all 
such  substances.     It  is  a  voracious  creature,  and,  being  gifted  with  an 


THE  EDIBLE  CRAB.  655 

acute  sense  of  smell,  is  sure  to  discover  without  delay  auy  substance 
on  which  it  can  feed,  and  to  make  its  way  thereto  without  delay. 

The  Squinado,  together  with  other  crabs,  sets  to  work  boldly  ;  with 
one  claw  he  holds  tightly  to  the  banquet,  and  with  the  other  tears  off 
morsels  and  deftly  feeds  himself  therewith,  putting  them  into  his  com- 
ical jaws  with  the  regularity  of  clockwork,  and  with  a  rapidity  that 
reminds  the  observer  of  a  Chinese  flinging  rice  into  his  mouth  with  his 
chopsticks.  The  strength  and  sharpness  of  the  claws  are  such  that  the 
toughest  muscle  cannot  long  withstand  their  power,  and  the  flesh  is  torn 
from  the  bones  as  perfectly  as  if  scraped  away  by  a  knife. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  back  of  this  crab  is  generally  a  resting- 
place  for  sundry  zoophytes,  which  often  grow  in  such  profusion  as  to 
hide  the  animal  completely. 

The  large  family  of  the  Canceridse  now  comes  before  us,  and  is 
familiarly  known  through  the  medium  of  the  common  Edible 
Crab. 

This  is  a  very  common  species,  being  plentiful  around  our  rocky 
coasts,  and  generally  remaining  in  the  zone  just  under  low-water  mark. 

The  fishermen  catch  it  in  various  ways,  but 
the  most  usual  method,  and  that  by  which 
the  greatest  number  of  these  crustaceans 
are  captured,  is  by  means  of  certain  bas- 
kets, called  crab-pots,  cruives,  or  creels,  ac- 
cording to  the  locality.  These  baskets  are 
round  and  in  shape  something  like  a  flat- 
The  Edible  Crab  {Cancer  tened  apple,  and  have  an  aperture  at  the 
pagurus).  ^^p  through  which  the  crab  gains  access  to 

the  interior.  When  once  within  the  basket  it  cannot  escape,  because 
the  opening  is  guarded  by  an  inverted  cone  of  osiers,  like  the  entrance 
to  a  common  wire  mouse-trap,  so  that  the  elastic  sticks  yield  to  the  ex- 
pected prey  while  passing  downward,  but  effectually  prevent  all  upward 
movement. 

Supplied  with  a  number  of  these  creels,  a  corresponding  amount  of 
rope,  floats,  stones,  and  bait,  the  fisherman  rows  toward  the  best  grounds, 
which  are  always  where  the  bed  of  the  sea  is  rocky,  and  the  depth  from 
three  to  twenty  fathoms.  The  bait,  consisting  of  haddock,  skate,  and 
other  fish,  is  placed  in  the  basket,  together  with  a  few  stones  which 
serve  to  sink  it,  a  line  is  attached,  and  the  creel  lowered  out  of  the 
boat.  A  buoy  is  attached  to  the  line  and  marked  with  the  owner's 
name,  so  as  to  avoid  mistakes  as  to  the  proprietorship  of  the  creel. 
The  fisherman  then  rows  to  a  little  distance,  and  sinks  another  baited 
creel,  taking  the  precaution  to  place  them  so  far  asunder  that  the  lines 
cannot  be  entangled  in  each  other. 

Boys  often  employ  their  idle  afternoons  in  crab-hunting,  always  going 


656  THE  NIPPER  AND  THE  FIGHTING  CRAB. 

anioug  the  rocks  at  low.  water,  aad  looking  out  for  those  rock-masses 
that  are  covered  with  heavy  seaweeds.  They  are  armed  with  a  kiud 
of  lance,  consisting  of  an  iron  hook  fastened  to  a  long  stick,  and  with 
this  they  poke  about  in  the  crevices  under  the  rocks  and  twist  out  the 
crabs  that  have  concealed  themselves.  These  crabs,  however,  seldom 
attain  any  great  size,  the  larger  specimens  remtiining  in  the  deeper 
water.  The  boys  call  them  "  pungers,"  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
green  crab. 

The  shell  of  this  crab  is  seldom  found  entirely  clean,  being  generally 
encrusted  with  acorn-barnacles  and  various  marine  creatures.  Some- 
times, when  the  crab  is  a  very  old  and  large  one,  has  ceased  growing 
for  several  years,  and  cousequeully  has  needed  no  change  of  shell,  it 
becomes  absolutely  loaded  with  all  sorts  of  extraneous  growths,  and  in 
many  cases  is  almost  invisible  under  its  load.  There  is  a  very  curious 
specimen  in  the  large  collection  at  the  British  Museum,  where  a  num- 
ber of  oysters  had  affixed  themselves  to  the  shell,  and  consequently  had 
been  borne  about  with  the  crab  in  all  its  peregrinations. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  family  of  the  Portunidoe,  or  "  swimming  crabs," 
which  may  be  recognized  by  the  construction  of  the  last  pair  of  feet, 
which  are  flattened  sideways,  and  have  the  last  joint  dilated  into  a  thin 
oblique  plate,  which  answers  as  an  oar  or  a  fin  and  enables  the  creature 
to  propel  itself  through  the  water.  The  first  example  of  this  family  is 
the  Green  or  Shore  Crab,  so  familiar  to  every  one  who  has  passed 
even  an  hour  on  the  coast  between  the  time  of  high  and  low  water. 
Although  one  of  the  commonest  of  our  native  crustaceans,  it  is  at  the 
same  time  one  of  the  most  interesting,  and,  owing  to  its  diurnal  habits, 
its  fearless  nature,  and  its  love  for  the  shallow  waters,  it  is  very  easily 
observed.  I  have  spent  many  a  pleasant  hour  in  watching  the  habits 
of  this  little  ere  iture,  and  could  h.irdly  have  imagined  the  activity,  the 
piercing  sight,  and  the  cleverness  with  which  it  is  endowed. 

The  Nipper  Crab  is  a  really  wonderful  swimmer,  being  able,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Couch's  account,  to  ascend  to  the  surface  of  the  sea  and 
to  pursue  its  prey  through  the  waters.  So  well  does  this  creature  swim, 
and  so  voracious  is  its  appetite,  that  it  captures  and  eats  even  the  swift- 
est sea-fish,  having  been  known  to  pounce  upon  the  mackerel  and  the 
pollack.  Its  method  of  proceeding  seems  to  be  to  dart  upon  its  prey, 
grasp  it  firmly  with  its  sharply-pointed  and  powerful  claws,  and  retain 
its  hold  until  the  unfortunate  victim  is  quite  fatigued  and  falls  an  easy 
prey. 

We  now  arrive  at  another  family,  called  the  Ocypodidse,  or  "  swift- 
footed  crabs,"  from  their  extraordinary  speed,  which  equals,  or  even 
exceeds,  that  of  a  man. 

The  Fighting  Crab  is  a  creature  whose  name  is  well  deserved.  One 
of  its  claws  is  enormously  large  in  proportion  to  the  body,  being,  indeed. 


THE  CALLING  AND  THE  HERMIT-CKAB.  657 

nearly  equal  in  dimensions  to  the  whole  carapace,  while  the  other  claw 
is  quite  small  and  feeble.  It  is  remarkable  that  sometimes  the  right 
and  sometimes  the  left  claw  is  thus  developed.  This  animal  is  a  most 
determined  fighter,  and  has  the  art  of  disposing  its  limbs  like  the  arms 
of  a  boxer,  so  as  to  be  equally  ready  for  attack  or  defence. 

The  Fighting  Crab  lives  on  the  seashore  or  on  the  border  of  salt 
marshes  and  burrows  deeply  in  the  earth,  the  holes  being  tolerably 
cylindrical  and  rather  oblique  in  direction.  In  some  places  tliese 
holes  are  so  close  together  that  the  earth  is  quite  honeycombed  with 
them,  and  the  place  looks  like  a  rabbit-warren.  Each  burrow  is  ten- 
anted by  a  pair  of  crabs,  the  male  always  remaining  in  the  post  of 
danger  at  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel,  and  keeping  guard  with  his  great 
claw  at  the  entrance. 

While  running,  it  has  a  habit  of  holding  the  large  claw  aloft  and 
moving  it  as  if  beckoning  to  some  one — a  habit  which  has  caused  one 
of  the  species  to  be  named  the  Calling  Crab.  This  action  has  in  it 
something  very  ludicrous,  and  those  who  have  watched  the  proceedings 
of  a  crab-warren  say  that  there  are  few  scenes  more  ridiculous  than  that 
which  is  presented  by  these  crustaceans  when  they  are  alarmed  and  go 
scuttling  over  the  ground  to  their  homes,  holding  up  their  claws  and 
beckoning  in  all  directions. 

We  now  come  to  a  singular  group  of  crabs,  which  are  remarkable 
for  their  soft  and  shell-less  tails  and  the  mode  employed  to  protect 
them.  From  their 
solitary  habits  they 
are  called  Hermit- 
crabs,  and  from 
their  extreme  com- 
bativeness  they 
have  earned  the 
title  of  Soldier- 
crabs. 

The  best  known 
of  these  Crustacea 
is  the  common 
Hermit-crab  of 
England  (Pagu- 
rus      Bernhardus),  The  Hermit-Crab, 

which  is  to  be  found   ^"  *^®  ^^^^^  ^^  *^®  common  Whelk,  with  an   anemone  attached 

to  shell. 

plentifully  on   our 

shores.  Like  all  its  race,  the  Hermit-crab  inhabits  the  shell  of  some 
mollusc,  in  which  it  can  bury  its  unprotected  tail,  and  into  which  it 
can  retreat  when  threatened  with  danger.  The  Hermit-crab  usurps 
the  deserted  home  of  various  molluscs,     according  to  its  size,  so  that 

2  R 


65S  THE  LOBSTER. 

when  young  and  small  it  is  found  in  the  shells  of  the  tops,  peri- 
winkles, and  other  small  molluscs;  and  when  it  reaches  full  age  it 
takes  possession  of  the  whelk-shell  and  entirely  fills  its  cavity. 

To  see  a  Hermit-crab  fitting  itself  with  a  new  shell  is  a  very  ludicrous 
sio-ht.  The  creature  takes  the  shell  among  its  feet,  twirls  it  about  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  balances  it  as  if  to  try  its  weight,  probes  it  with  the 
long  antennae,  and  perhaps  tlirows  it  away.  Sometimes,  however,  when 
the  preliminary  investigations  have  proved  satisfactory,  it  twists  the 
shell  round  until  the  tail  falls  into  the  opening,  and  then  parades  up 
and  down  for  a  little  while.  Perhaps  it  may  be  satisfied,  and  after 
twirling  the  shell  about  several  times  whisks  into  it  with  such  speed 
that  the  eye  can  scarcely  follow  its  movements.  Indeed,  it  seems 
rather  to  be  shot  into  the  shell  from  some  engine  of  propulsion  than 
to  move  voluntarily  into  the  new  habitation.  When  the  number  of 
empty  shells  is  great  the  Hermit  is  very  fastidious,  and  will  spend 
many  hours  in  settling  into  a  new  house. 

In  all  these  creatures  the  larger  claw  is  very  much  developed  ;  so  that 
when  the  crab  has  withdrawn  into  the  shell,  the  claw  lies  over  the  en- 
trance and  closes  it  like  a  living  door,  which  has  the  further  advantage 
of  being  used  as  an  offensive  weapon.  The  footstalks  on  which  the  eyes 
are  set  are  moderately  long,  stout,  and  jointed,  and  enable  their  pos- 
sessor to  see  in  all  directions. 

We  next  take  the  second  great  division  of  the  Crustacese — namely, 
those  which  have  long  and  powerful  tails.  The  Lobsters  and  Shrimps 
are  examples  of  these  creatures.  In  swimming  rapidly  through  the 
water  the  tail  is  the  organ  of  propulsion  which  is  employed,  and  a 
glance  at  its  form   will  soon  explain  its  use. 

We  now  come  to  the  family  of  the  Astacidse,  which  includes  two 
well-known  and  very  similar  creatures,  the  fresh-water  Cray-fish  and 
the  salt-water  Lobster.  The  general  shape  and  appearance  of  the 
Lobster  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  description.  The  vast  num- 
bers of  Lobsters  which  are  annually 
brought  to  the  London  markets  are 
largely  supplied  from  Norway,  although 
there  are  many  parts  of  our  own  coasts 
where  these  creatures  can  be  taken  plen- 
tifully. The  Lobster  is  not  much  of  a 
^^  rover,  seldom  straying  far  from  the  spot 

^^  '^""^       "'  -  on  which  it  was  hatched. 

The  Lobster  (Astacus  gam-        The  Lobsters  are  caught  in  creels  or 
"*"'"'''^*  pots,  like  the  crabs,  but  with  greater  ease 

and  economy,  as  they  are  very  fond  of  meat,  be  it  fresh  or  tainted,  and 
even  if  it  should  be  putrefying  will  be  attracted  to  it. 

Like  many  other  crustaceans,  the  Lobster  is  a  most  combative  ani- 


THE  CRAY-FISH  AND  THE  SHRIMP.  659 

raal,  quarrelling  on  the  slightest  pretext,  and  fighting  most  furiously. 
In  these  combats  it  mostly  loses  a  claw  or  a  leg,  being  obliged  to  dis- 
card entirely  a  wounded  member.  A  fresh  leg  or  claw  sprouts  from 
the  scar,  and  it  is  to  this  circumstance  that  the  frequently  unequal  size 
of  lobster-claws  is  owing.  Lobsters,  indeed,  part  with  these  valuable 
members  with  strange  indifference,  and  will  sometimes  shake  them  off 
on  hearing  a  sudden  noise. 

If  the  fishermen  find  that  they  have  wounded  a  Lobster,  they  have 
recourse  to  a  very  strange  but  perfectly  efficacious  remedy.  Supposing 
one  of  the  claws  to  be  wounded,  the  creature  would  soon  bleed  to  death 
unless  some  means  were  taken  whereby  the  flow  of  blood  may  be 
stopped^  The  method  adopted  by  the  fishermen  consists  in  twisting 
off  the  entire  claw.  A  membrane  immediately  forms  over  the  wound, 
and  the  bleeding  is  stopped.  The  new  limb  that  is  to  supply  the  place 
of  that  which  was  lost  always  sprouts  from  the  centre  of  the  scar. 

The  common  Cray-fish,  or  Craw-fish,  of  our  rivers  has  an  almost 
exact  resemblance  to  the  marine  lobster,  which  it  resembles  in  many  of 
its  habits  and  qualities.  Like  that  crea- 
ture, it  hides  itself  in  some  crevice,  and 
does  not  issue  from  its  concealment  ex- 
cept for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  food. 
It  is  equally  quarrelsome,  and  also  dis- 
plays many  tokens  of  its  combats  in  the 
shape  of  lost  or  minute  members.  It  is 
quite  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  large  Cray-fish  The  Cray-fish  {Astacus  jiuvi- 
with  both  its  claws  of  the  same  size.  °^'^)- 

The  creature  mostly  hides  under  stones  or  holes  in  the  bank,  with  its 
head  toward  the  orifice  and  its  claws  thoroughly  protecting  its  home. 
From  these  dens  it  issues  in  search  of  prey,  which  consists  of  dead  fish 
and  any  similar  substance. 

The  flesh  of  the  Cray-fish  is  something  like  that  of  the  lobster,  but 
far  more  delicate,  and  without  the  indigestible  qualities  of  the  larger 
crustacean.  It  is  only  in  season  for  a  comparatively  short  time,  and  in 
other  months  of  the  year  the  flesh  is  soft,  watery,  and  flavorless. 

The  next  family  includes  the  true  Shrimps,  and  contains  but  one 
genus.  The  Shrimp,  which  is  so  familiar  on  our  tables,  and  which, 
until  the  marine  aquaria  became  so  common,  was  equally  unknown  in, 
its  living  state,  inhabits  our  shores,  where  it  is  produced  in  countless 
myriads.  In  every  little  pool  that  is  left  by  the  retiring  tide  the 
Shrimps  may  be  seen  in  profusion,  betraying  their  presence  by  their 
quick  darting  movements  as  they  dash  about  in  the  water,  and  ever 
and  anon  settle  upon  some  spot,  flinging  up  a  cloud  of  sand  as  they 
scuffle  below  its  surface,  their  backs  being  just  level  with  the  surround- 
ing sand.     In  consequence  of  this  manoeuvre  the  fishermen  call  them 


660     THE  SHRIMP,  THE  PRAWN,  AND  THE  SAND-HOPPER. 

"Sand-raisers."  The  small  prawns  are  often  confounded  with  the 
Shrimps,  and  popularly  called  hy  the  same  title.  They  can,  however, 
easily  be  distinguished  from  each  other,  the  beak  of  the  prawn  being 
lono-  and  deeply  saw-edged,  while  that  of  the  Shrimp  is  quite  short  and 
smooth. 

Our  attention  is  now  drawn  to  a  very  large  group  of  crustaceans, 
called  the  Sessile-eyed  Crustacea,  because  their  eyes,  instead  of  being 
placed  on  footstalks,  are  seated  directly  upou 
the  shell.  The  body  is  divided  with  toler- 
able distinctness  into  three  parts,  for  which 
the  ordinary  titles  of  head,  thorax,  and  ab- 
domen are  retained  as  being  more  couveui- 
ent  and  intelligible  than  the  ingenious  and 
more  correct,  though  rather  repulsive,  titles 
The  Shrimp  {aangon  vul-    that  have  lately  been  affixed  to  these  divis- 

garie).  ions  of  the  body. 

The  Prawn  {Palcsmon  ser-        They  have  no   carapace,  like  the  stalk- 
''"^"^'*"  ■    eyed  crustaceans,  nor  do  they  breathe  with 

gills,  but  by  means  of  a  curious  adaptation  of  some  of  their  limbs. 
None  of  the  Sessile-eyed  Crustacea  attain  any  large  size,  an  inch  and 
a  half  being  nearly  their  utmost  limit  in  point  of  length.  Most  of 
these  animals  reside  along  the  seashores,  where  they  are  of  very  great 
use  in  clearing  away  the  mass  of  dead  animal  and  vegetable  matter 
which  is  constantly  found  in  the  sea. 

The  little  Sand-hopper  or  Sand-skipper  is  an  example  of  the  first 
family,  called  by  the  name  of  Orchestidoe,  or  jumpers,  because  the 
members  of  it  possess  the  power  of  leaping  upon  dry  ground.  These 
little  creatures  are  seen  in  myriads  along  all  our  sandy  shores,  leaping 
about  vigorously  just  before  the  advancing  or  behind  the  retiring  tide, 
and  looking  like  a  low  mist  edging  the  sea,  so  countless  are  their  num- 
bers. Paley  has  a  well-known  passage  respecting  this  phenomenon,  too 
familiar  for  quotation. 

The  leap  of  the  Sand-hopper  is  produced  by  bending  the  body  and 
then  flinging  it  open  with  a  sudden  jerk — in  fact,  the  exact  converse 
of  the  mode  of  progression  adopted  by  the  lobster  and  shrimp.  The 
Sand-hopper  feeds  on  almost  everything  that  is  soft  and  capable  of 
decay,  and  seems  to  care  little  whether  the  food  be  of  an  animal  or  a 
vegetable  nature.  Decaying  seaweed  is  a  favorite  article  of  food,  and 
wherever  a  bunch  of  blackened  and  rotting  seaweed  lies  on  the  sand, 
there  may  be  found  the  Sand-hoppers  congregated  beneath  it,  and  lit- 
erally boiling  out  when  the  seaweed  is  plucked  up. 

The  teeth  of  this  creature  are  strong  and  sharp,  as  indeed  is  needful 
for  the  tasks  imposed  upon  them.  The  Sand-hopper  will  eat  anything; 
and  on  one  occasion,  when  a  lady  had  allowed  a  swarm  of  these  little 


THE  WOODLOUSE  AND  THE   BARNACLE. 


661 


crustaceaas  to  settle  on  her  handkerchief,  it  was  bitten  to  rags  when 
she  took  it  up.  It  is  very  fond  of  worms,  will  eat  any  kind  of  carrion, 
and  sometimes,  when  pressed  by  hunger, 
has  no  scruple  in  eating  its  own  kind. 

The  common  Woodlouse  is  very 
plentiful  in  all  damp  places,  and  es- 
pecially exults  in  getting  under  logs  of 
wood  or  decaying  timber.  In  cellars 
and  outhouses  they  are  common,  and  are 
generally  to  be  found  in  dark  and  damp 
localities.  Fowls  are  very  fond  of  them, 
and  there  is  no  surer  way  of  extirpating  The  Common  Woodlouse  {Por- 
these   sharp-toothed   creatures   than  by  ^^^^'^  scaber). 

allowing  some  fowls  to  scrape  and  peck  about  in  the  places  where 
they  have  taken  up  their  residence.  Under  the  bark  of  dead  and 
decaying  trees  is  a  very  favorite  residence  with  the  Woodlouse,  and  in 
such  localities  its  dead  skeleton  may  often  be  found,  bleached  to  a 

porcelain-like  whiteness.  The  color  of  the 
Woodlouse  is  a  darkish  leaden  hue,  some- 
times spotted  with  white. 

The  well-known  Pill  Woodlouse,  or 
Pill  Armadillo,  when  rolled  up  into  a 
globular  shape  bears  a  strong  analogy  to 
the  common  hedgehog,  and  a  still  stronger 
to  the  manis.  As  in  the  latter  case,  the  crea- 
ture is  defended  by  horny  scales  that  pro- 
tect it  just  as  the  external  skeleton  pro- 
tects the  armadillo.  AVhile  rolled  up  this 
creature  has  often  been  mistaken  for  a 
bead  or  a  berry  from  some  tree,  and  in  one 
instance  a  girl  new  to  the  country  actually 
threaded  a  number  of  these  unfortunate 
crustaceans  before  she  discovered  that  they 
were  not  beads. 

W^e  now  come  to  the  last  members  of  the 
Crustacea — creatures  which  were  for  a  long 
time  placed  among  the  molluscs,  and  whose 
true  position  has  only  been  discovered  in 
comparatively  later  years.  Popularly  they 
are  called  Barnacles,  but  are  known  to 
naturalists  under  the  general  term  Cirrhip- 
<:des,  on  account  of  the  cirrhi,  or  bristles,  with  which  their  strangely 
transformed  feet  are  fringed. 

When  adult  all  the  Cirrhipedes  are  affixed  to  some  substance,  being 

56 


The  Barnacle  {Lepas  ana- 
tijera). 


662 


THE  BARNACLE. 


either  set  directly  upon  it,  as  the  common  acorn  barnacle,  so  plentiful 
on  our  coasts,  placed  upon  a  footstalk  of  variable  length,  as  in  the 
ordinary  goose  mussel,  or  even  sunk  into  the  supporting  substance,  as 
is  the  case  with  the  whale  barnacles.  When  young  the  Cirrhipedes 
are  free  and  able  to  swim  about,  and  are  of  a  shape  so  totally  different 
from  that  which  they  afterward  assume  that  they  would  not  be  recog- 
nized except  by  a  practised  eye. 

Along  the  under  surface  are  set  six  pairs  of  limbs,  not  furnished  with 
claws,  but  being  developed  at  their  extremities  into  two  long  filaments, 
joined  and  covered  with  hairs.  By  means  of  these  modified  limbs 
the  Cirrhipedes  obtain  their  food.  The  common  acorn  barnacle  of 
our  coasts  affords  a  familiar  and  beautiful  example  of  the  mode  by 
which  this  structure  is  made  subservient  to  procuring  a  supply  of  food. 
The  closed  valves  at  the  upper  part  of  the  shell  are  seen  to  open  slight- 
ly, a  kind  of  fairy-like  hand  is  thrust  out,  the  fingers  expanded,  a 
grasp  made  at  the  water,  and  the  closed  member  then  withdrawn  into 
the  shell. 

This  hand-like  object  is  in  fact  the  aggregated  mass  of  legs  with 
their  filaments.  As  the  limbs  are  thrust  forward  they  spread,  so  as  to 
form  a  kind  of  casting-net,  and  as  they  return  to  the  shell  they  bring 
with  them  all  the  minute  organisms  which  were  swimming  in  the 
water.  This  movement  continues  without  cessation  as  lono;  as  the 
barnacles  are  covered  with  water,  and  appears  to  be  as  mechanically 
performed  as  the  action  of  breathing  is  performed  by  the  higher 
animals. 

The  common  Goose  Mussel,  or  Duck  Barnacle,  is  so  called  on 
account  of  the  absurd  idea  which  was  once  so  widely  entertained,  that 
this  species  of  barnacle  was  the  preliminary  state  of  the  barnacle  goose, 
the  cirrhi  representing  the  plumage,  and  the  valves  doing  duty  for  the 
wings. 

This  Barnacle  is  tolerably  universal  in  its  tastes.  It  clings  to  any- 
thing, whether  still  or  moving,  and  is  the 
pest  of  ships  on  account  of  the  perti- 
nacity with  which  it  adheres  to  their 
planks.  Its  growth  is  marvellously 
rapid,  and  in  a  very  short  time  a  ves- 
sel will  have  the  whole  of  the  sub- 
merged surface  coated  so  thickly  with 
these  Cirrhipedes  that  her  rate  of  speed 
is  sadly  diminished  by  the  friction  of 
their  loose  bodies  against  the  water. 

A  good  example  of  these  creatures  is 
afforded  by  the  well-known  Acorn  Bar- 
nacles, so  plentiful  on  our  coasts.     They  have  no  necks  like  those  of 


The  Acorn  Barnacle  {Bala- 
nus  balanoides). 


ARACHNIDA.  6^3 

the  Goose  Barnacle,  but  are  sessile  on  the  rocks.  Spots  over  which  the 
tide  runs  only  for  a  few  hours  are  thickly  studded  with  these  Barna- 
cles, and  it  is  interesting  to  see  how  quickly  they  open  their  valves  and 
fling  out  their  arms  as  soon  as  the  water  covers  them  at  each  return- 
ing tide.  When  the  sea  withdraws  they  close  their  shells  firmly,  and 
retain  within  their  interior  a  sufficiency  of  water  wherewith  to  carry 
on  the  business  of  respiration  until  the  next  tide  brings  a  fresh  supply. 
Total  submersion  seems  to  be  hurtful  to  them. 


ARACHNIDA. 

Another  class  of  animated  beings  now  comes  before  us,  which,  under 
the  general  terra  of  Arachnida,  comprises  the  Spiders,  Scorpions,  and 
Mites, 

These  beings  breathe  atmospheric  air,  have  no  antennae,  and  have 
four  pairs  of  legs  attached  to  the  fore  parts  of  the  body. 

In  some  of  the  higher  Arachnida  there  is  a  bold  division  into  thorax 
and  abdomen,  and  the  former  portion  of  the  body  is  clearly  divided 
into  separate  segments.  By  the  earlier  naturalists  the  Arachnidse 
were  placed  among  the  insects,  but  may  readily  be  distinguished  by 
several  peculiarities.  In  the  first  place,  they  have  more  than  six  legs, 
which  alone  would  be  sufficient  to  separate  them  from  insects.  They 
have  no  separate  head,  the  head  and  thorax  being  fused,  as  it  were, 
into  one  mass,  called  the  cephalothorax.  In  many  of  the  lower  species 
there  is  not  even  a  division  between  the  thorax  and  abdomen,  and  the 
body,  thorax,  and  abdomen  are  merged  into  one  uniform  mass,  with- 
out even  a  mark  to  show  their  several  boundaries.  They  undergo  no 
metamorphosis  like  that  of  the  insects,  for,  although  the  young  Spiders 
change  their  skins  several  times,  there  is  no  change  of  form. 

Beginning  with  the  true  Spiders,  we  find  that  their  palpi — i.  e.,  the 
jointed  antennse-like  organs  that  project  from  the  cephalothorax — are 
more  or  less  thread-like,  and  in  the  males  are  swollen  at  the  extremity 
into  a  remarkable  structure,  as  indicative  of  the  sex  as  the  beard  of 
man,  the  curled  tail-feathers  of  the  drake,  and  the  gorgeous  train  of 
the  peacock.  In  the  different  genera  these  palpi  are  differently  formed, 
and  afford  valuable  indications  for  systematic  zoologists. 

In  these  strange  creatures  the  mandibles  are  furnished  with  a  curved 
claw  perforated  at  the  extremity,  sometimes  like  the  poison-fang  of  a 
venomous  snake,  and  used  for  a  similar  purpose.  A  gland  furnishes  a 
secretion  which  is  forced  through  these  organs,  and  is  injected  into  any 
object  that  may  be  wounded  by  the  sharp  claw.  The  fluid  which  is 
secreted  for  the  service  of  the  fangs  is  nearly  colorless,  and  is  found  to 
possess  most  of  the  properties  that  exist  in  the  venom  of  the  rattlesnake 
or  viper. 


664  THE  SPIDERS. 

They  all  spin  those  remarkable  nets  which  we  popularly  call  "  webs," 
and  which  differ  wonderfully  in  the  various  species.  These  webs  are 
in  very  many  instances  employed  as  traps,  wherein  may  be  caught  the 
prey  on  which  the  Spider  feeds,  but  in  other  cases  are  only  used  as 
houses  wherein  the  creature  can  reside.  Some  of  the  uses  to  which  these 
wonderful  productions  are  put,  as  well  as  some  details  of  their  structure, 
will  presently  be  mentioned. 

We  now  pass  to  some  typical  species  of  these  curious  animals. 

The  Spiders  belonging  to  the  family  of  Mygalidse  may  at  once  be 
known  by  the  shape  of  their  mandibles  and  the  terrible  claws  which 
proceed  from  them.  In  the  greater  number  of  Spiders  the  claws  are  set- 
horizontally,  but  in  the  Mygalidse  they  are  bent  downward,  and  strike 
the  prey  much  as  a  lion  clutches  at  his  victim  with  his  curved  talons. 

The  Great  Crab  Spider  belongs  to  the  typical  genus  of  this  family, 
and  is  one  of  the  formidable  Arachnida  that  prey  upon  young  birds 
and  other  small  vertebrates,  instead  of  limiting  themselves  to  the  in- 
sects and  similar  beings  which  constitute  the  food  of  the  generality  of 
the  Spider  race. 

The  talons  of  the  spiders  are  scientifically  called  by  the  appropriate 
name  of /a/ce*%  the  word  being  Latin,  and  signifying  "a  reaping-hook." 
By  this  name  they  will  be  called  in  the  course  of  the  following  pages. 
The  fUlces  of  the  Great  Crab  Spiders  are  of  enormous  size,  and  when 
removed  from  the  creature  and  set  in  gold  they  are  used  as  toothpicks, 
being  thought  to  possess  some  occult  virtue  which  drives  away  the 
toothache. 

The  curious  Trap-door  Spider  of  Jamaica,  erroneously  called  the 
Tarantula,  digs  a  burrow  in  the  earth  and  lines  it  with  a  silken  web, 
but,  instead  of  merely  protecting  the  entrance  by  a  portion  of  the  silken 
tube,  it  proves  itself  a  more  complete  architect  by  making  a  trap-door 
with  a  hinge  that  permits  it  to  be  opened  and  closed  with  admirable 
accuracy.  The  door  is  beautifully  circular,  and  is  made  of  alternate 
layers  of  earth  and  web  and  hinged  to  the  lining  of  the  tube  by  a  band 
of  the  same  silken  secretion.  It  exactly  fits  the  entrance  of  the  bur- 
row, and  when  closed  so  precisely  corresponds  with  the  surrounding 
earth  that  it  can  hardly  be  distinguished,  even  when  its  position  is 
pointed  out.  It  is  a  strange  sight  to  see  the  earth  open,  a  little  lid 
raised,  some  hairy  legs  protrude,  and  gradually  the  whole  form  of  the 
spider  show  itself. 

The  curious  and  interesting  Water  Spider  is  now  flir  better  known 
than  was  formerly  the  case,  as  the  numerous  aquaria  that  have  been 
established  over  the  kingdom  have  tended  to  fiimiliarize  us  with  this  as 
well  as  with  many  other  inhabitants  of  the  water. 

This  creature  leads  a  strange  life.  Though  really  a  terrestrial  being 
and  needing  to  respire  atmospheric  air,  it  passes  nearly  the  whole  of 


THE  WATEK  SPIDER.  665 

its  life  in  the  water,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  its  time  is  submerged 
below  the  surface.  To  a  lesser  degree  several  other  spiders  lead  a  some- 
what similar  life,  sustaining  existence  by  means  of  the  air  which  is  en- 
tangled in  the  hairs  which  clothe  the  body.  Their  submerged  existence 
is,  however,  only  accidental,  while  in  the  Water  Spider  it  forms  the  con- 
stant habit  of  its  life. 

The  body  of  the  Water  Spider  is  profusely  covered  with  hairs,  which 
serve  to  entangle  a  large  comparative  amount  of  atmospheric  air,  but 
it  has  other  means  which  are  not  pos- 
sessed by  the  species  already  described. 
It  has  the  power  of  diving  below  the 
surface  and  carrying  with  it  a  very 
large  bubble  of  air  that  is  held  in  its 
place  by  the  hind  legs ;  and  in  spite  of 
this  obstacle  to  its  progress,  it  can  pass 
through  the  water  with  tolerable  speed. 

The  strangest  part  in  the  economy 
of  this  creature  is  that  it  is  actually 
hatched  under  water,  and  lies  sub- 
merged  for  a  considerable  time  before    ^^^  ^^^^^  g^^^^^  (Argyrone. 


it  ever  sees  the  land.     At  some  little 


tra  aquatica) 


depth  the  mother  spider  spins  a  kind 
of  egg  or  dome-shaped  cell  with  the  opening  downward.  Having 
made  this  chamber,  she  ascends  to  the  surface,  and  there  charges  her 
whole  body  with  air,  arranging  her  hind  legs  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  bubble  held  between  them  cannot  escape.  She  then  dives  into  the 
water,  proceeds  to  her  nest,  and  discharges  the  bubble  into  it.  A  quan- 
tity of  water  is  thus  displaced,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  cell  is  filled 
with  air.  She  then  returns  for  a  second  supply,  and  so  proceeds  until 
the  nest  is  full  of  air. 

In  this  curious  domicile  the  spider  lives,  and  is  thus  able  to  deposit 
and  to  hatch  her  eggs  under  the  water  without  even  wetting  them. 
The  reader  will  have  noticed  the  exact  analogy  between  this  subaquatic 
residence  and  the  diving-bell,  now  so  generally  employed.  As  to  the 
spider  itself,  it  is  never  wet ;  and,  though  it  may  be  seen  swimming 
rapidly  about  in  the  water,  yet  the  moment  it  emerges  from  the  sur- 
face its  hairy  body  will  be  found  as  dry  as  that  of  any  land  spider. 
The  reason  for  this  phenomenon  is  that  the  minute  bubbles  of  air 
which  always  cling  to  the  furred  body  repel  the  water  and  prevent  it 
from  moistening  the  skin. 

The  eggs  of  tliis  spider  are  enclosed  in  a  kind  of  cup-shaped  cocoon, 
not  unlike  the  cover  of  a  circular  vegetable-dish.  This  cocoon  usually 
contains  about  a  hundred  little  spherical  eggs,  which  are  not  glued 
together. 

56-* 


666 


THE  WATEK  SPIDER. 


The  Water  Spider  is  a  truly  active  creature,  and  its  rapid  movements 
can  be  watched  by  placing  one  of  these  Arachnida  in  a  vessel  nearly 
filled  with  water.  If  possible,  some  water-plant,  such  as  the  vaP^sneria 
or  anacharis,  should  also  be  placed  in  the  vessel.  Here  the  spider  will 
soon  construct  its  web  and  exhibit  its  curious  habits.  It  must  be  well 
supplied  with  flies  and  other  insects  thrown  into  the  water.  It  will 
pounce  on  them,  carry  them  to  its  house,  and  there  eat  them. 

The  limbs  and  cephalothorax  of  this  species  are  brown  with  a  slight 
tinge  of  red,  and  the  abdomen  is  brown,  but  washed  with  green.     It  is 


The  Garden  Spider  {Epeira  diade)na). 

densely  covered  with  hairs.  On  the  middle  of  the  upper  surface  of  the 
abdomen  are  found  round  spots  arranged  in  a  square.  The  male  is 
rather  larger  than  the  female,  and  his  legs  are  larger  in  proportion. 
He  may,  however,  be  distinguished  by  the  large  mandibles  and  longer 
palpi. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Epeiridse,  a  family  containing  some  of  the 
strangest  members  of  the  spider  race.     The  best  known  of  this  family 


THE  GAKDEN  SPIDEK  AND  THE  SCORPION.  667 

is  the  common  Garden  Spider,  sometimes  called  the  Cross  Spider, 
from  the  marks  upon  its  abdomen.  This  is  thought  to  be  the  best  typ- 
ical example  of  all  the  Arachnidse.  It  is  found  in  great  numbers  in  our 
gardens,  stretching  its  beautiful  webs  perpendicularly  from  branch  to 
branch,  and  remaining  in  the  centre  with  its  head  downward,  waiting 
for  its  prey.  This  attitude  is  tolerably  universal  among  spiders  ;  and 
it  is  rather  curious  that  the  Arachnidse  should  reverse  the  usual  order 
of  things,  and  assume  an  inverted  position  when  they  desire  to  re- 
pose. 

The  web  of  this  spider  is  composed  of  two  different  kinds  of  threads, 
the  radiating  and  supporting  threads  being  strong  and  of  simple  tex- 
ture, but  the  fine  spiral  thread  which  divides  the  web  into  a  series  of 
steps,  decreasing  in  breadth  toward  the  centre,  is  studded  with  a  vast 
amount  of  little  globules,  which  give  to  the  web  its  peculiar  adhesive- 
ness. These  globules  are  too  small  to  be  perceptible  to  the  unassisted 
eye,  but  by  the  aid  of  a  microscope  they  may  be  examined  without 
difficulty.  In  an  ordinary  web,  such  as  is  usually  seen  in  gardens, 
there  will  be  about  eighty-seven  thousand  of  these  globules,  and  yet 
the  web  can  be  completed  in  less  than  three  quarters  of  an  hour. 
The  globules  are  loosely  strung  upon  the  lines,  and  when  they  are 
rubbed  off  the  thread  is  no  longer  adhesive. 

Of  all  the  Spider  race  the  Scorpions  are  most  dreaded,  and  justly  so. 
These  strange  beings  are  at  once  recognized  by  their  large  claws  and 
the  armed  tail.  This  member  is  composed  of  six  joints,  the  last  being 
modified  into  an  arched  point,  very  sharp,  and  communicating  with  two 
poison-glands  in  the  base  of  the  joint.  With  this  weapon  the  Scorpion 
wounds  its  foes,  striking  smartly  at  them,  and  by  the  same  movement 
driving  some  of  the  poison  into  the  wound.  The  effect  of  the  poison 
varies  much  according  to  the  constitution  of  the  person  who  is  stung 
and  the  size  and  health  of  the  Scorpion.  Should  the  creature  be  a 
large  one,  the  sting  is  productive  of  serious 
consequences,  and  in  some  cases  has  been 
known  to  destroy  life.  Generally,  how'- 
ever,  there  is  little  danger  to  life,  though 
the  pain  is  most  severe  and  the  health 
much  injured  for  the  time,  the  whole  limb 
throbbing  with  shooting  pangs  and  the 
stomach  oppressed  with  overpowering  nau- 
sea. The  poison  seems  to  be  of  an  acrid  The  Rock  ScoRnoN  {Buthus 
nature,  and  the  pain  can  be  relieved  by  "^^^'^' 

the  application  of  alkaline  remedies,  such  as  liquid  ammonia,  tobacco 
ashes,  etc.  Melted  fat  is  also  thought  to  do  good  service,  and  the  nau- 
sea is  relieved  by  small  doses  of  ipecacuanha.  Some  of  the  poison  can 
mostly  be  brought  to  the  surface  by  means  of  pressing  a  tube,  such 


668  THE  MYRIAPODA. 

as  that  of  a  tolerably  large  key  or  the  barrel  of  a  small  pistol,  upon 
the  spot,  and  the  duration,  if  not  the  severity,  of  the  pain  is  thereby 
mitigated. 

In  all  these  creatures  the  tail  is  composed  of  the  last  six  joints  of  the 
abdomen,  and  the  powerful  limbs,  with  the  lobster-like  claws  at  the 
tips,  are  the  modified  palpi.  The  eyes  of  the  Scorpions  differ  in  num- 
ber, some  species  having  twelve,  others  eight,  and  others  only  six ; 
these  last  constitute  the  genus  Scorpio.  On  the  lower  surflice  of  the 
Scorpions  are  seen  two  remarkable  appendages,  called  the  combs,  the 
number  of  teeth  differing  in  the  various  species.  In  the  Rock  Scor- 
pion the  teeth  are  thirteen  in  number,  while  in  the  red  scorpion  there 
are  never  less  than  twenty-eight.  The  Rock  Scorpion  is  a  large  crea- 
ture, measuring  about  six  inches  in  length  when  fully  grown. 

MYRIAPODA. 

In  accordance  with  the  best  systems  of  the  present  day  the  Myria- 
PODA  are  considered  as  a  separate  class. 

The  Myriapoda  are  without  even  the  rudiments  of  wings,  and  possess 
a  great  number  of  feet,  not  less  than  twelve  pairs,  and  in  some  species 
there  are  more  than  forty  pairs  of  legs.  In  allusion  to  their  numerous 
feet  the  Myriapoda  are  popularly  called  Hundred-legs,  and  their  scien- 
tific title  is  even  bolder,  signifying  "  ten  thousand  feet."  To  this  class 
belong  the  well-known  centipedes,  so  plentiful  in  our  gardens,  and  the 
equally  well-known  millepedes,  found  under  decaying  wood  and  in  sim- 
ilar localities.  In  Eng- 
,„,,,/.r',jjui^^^s^^  land  none  of  the  Myria- 
pods  attain    to  great   di- 

rp       ,,  ,T  1  .V  mensions,  but  in  hot  coun- 

iHE  Millepede  {Jnlm  terrestns).  ,   .  ,  .   „  , 

tries,  and  especially  under 

the  tropics,  they  become  so  large  as  to  be  positively  formidable  as  well 

as  repulsive. 

\Ve  now  arrive  at  the  true  Scolopendrse,  which,  together  with  the 

allied  genera,  are  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  Centipedp:s.     The 

genus  Scolopendrse  is  a  very  large  one,  containing  about  sixty  species, 

most  of  them  inhabitants  of  the  tropics,  and  many  attaining  a  large  size. 

The  great  Scolopendrse  are  not  only  unpleasant  and   repulsive  to  the 

sight,  but  are  really  formidable  creatures,   being   armed  with   fangs 

scarcely  less  terrible  than  the  sting  of  the  scorpion.     These  weapons 

are  placed  just  below  the  mouth,  and  are  formed  from  the  second  pair 

of  feet,  which  are  modified  into  a  pair  of  strong  claws,  set  horizontally 

in  a  manner  resembling  the  falces  of  ordinary  spiders,  and  terminated 

by  a  strong  and  sharp  hook  on  each  side.     These  hooks  are  perforated, 

and  are  traversed  by  a  little  channel  leading  from  a  poison-gland,  like 


THE  ANNULATA.  669 

that  of  the  scorpion,  so  that  the  venomous  secretion  is  forced  into  the 
wound  by  the  very  action  of  biting. 

The  member  of  this  family  scientifically  known  as  the  Arthronomalus 
loagicornis  is  found  in  England,  and  is  very  common  in  some  local- 
ities. It  is  in  no  way  conspicuous  for  its  dimensions,  but  is,  however, 
remarkable  on  another  account.  It  has  the  power  of  giving  out  a  tol- 
erably strong  phosphorescent  light,  which  is  visible  only  after  dark,  but 
is  then  very  conspicuous,  and  has  often  caused  the  centipede  to  be  mis- 
taken for  a  glow-worm.  It  is  not  unfrequeutly  found  within  peaches, 
apricots,  plums,  and  similar  fruits  when  they  are  very  ripe,  and  lies 
comfortably  coiled  up  in  the  little  space  between  the  stone  and  the 
fruit,  where  the  sweetest  juices  lie.  The  color  of  this  centipede  is  yel- 
low ;  its  head  is  deep  rust-color ;  its  antennae  are  very  hairy,  and  four 
times  as  long  as  the  head  segment.  There  are  from  fifty-one  to  fifty- 
five  pairs  of  legs.  Its  length  varies  from  two  inches  and  a  half  to 
three  inches. 

ANNULATA. 

A  new  class  of  animals  now  comes  before  us.  These  creatures  are 
technically  called  Annulata,  or  sometimes  Annelida,  on  account  of 
the  rings,  or  annuli,  of  which  their  bodies  are  composed.  They  may 
be  distinguished  from  the  Julidse  by  the  absence  of  true  feet,  although 
in  very  many  species  the  place  of  feet  is  supplied  by  bundles  of  bristles 
set  along  the  sides.  The  respiration  is  carried  on  either  by  means  of 
external  gills,  internal  sacs,  or  even  through  the  skin  itself  In  most 
of  the  Annulata  the  body  is  long  and  cylindrical,  but  in  some  it  is 
flattened  and  oval.  The  number  of  rings  is  very  variable,  even  in  the 
same  species. 

The  group  of  worms  which  comes  first  on  our  list  is  remarkable  for 
the  architectural  powders  of  its  members.  In  order  to  protect  their 
soft-skinned  body  and  delicate  gills  they  build  for  themselves  a  res- 
idence into  which  they  exactly  fit.  This  residence  is  in  the  form  of  a 
tube,  and  in  some  cases,  as  in  the  Serpulse,  is  of  a  very  hard  shelly 
substance,  and  in  some,  as  the  Terebella,  is  soft  and  covered  with  grains 
of  sand  and  fragments  of  shells. 

The  beautiful  Serpula  is  now  very  familiar  to  us  through  the 
medium  of  marine  aquaria,  its  white  shell,  exquisite  fan-like  branchiae, 
and  brilliant  operculum,  having  lived  and  died  in  many  an  inland 
town  where  a  living  inhabitant  of  the  ocean  had  never  before  been 
seen.  The  Serpula  is  able  to  travel  up  and  down  its  tube  by  means 
of  the  bundles  of  bristles  which  project  from  the  rings  along  the  sides, 
and  to  retract  itself  with  marvellous  rapidity.  It  has  no  eyes,  and  yet 
is  sensible  of  light.  For  example,  if  a  Serpula  be  fully  protruded, 
with  its  gill-fans  extended  to  their  utmost,  and  blazing  in  all  its  scarlet- 


670 


THE  EARTH-WORM  AND  THE  LEECH. 


and-white  splendor,  a  hand  moved  between  it  and  the  window  will 
cause  it  to  disappear  into  its  tube  with  a  movement  so  rapid  that  the 
eye  cannot  follow  it.  The  gills,  whose  exquisitely  graceful  form  and 
delicate  coloring  have  always  attracted  admiration,  are  affixed  to  the 
neck,  as,  if  they  were  set  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  the  body  or 
along  the  sides,  they  would  not  obtain  sufficient  air  from  the  small 
amount  of  water  that  could  be  contained  in  the  tube.  The  beautiful 
scarlet  stopper  ought  also  to  be  mentioned.  Each  set  of  gills  is  fur- 
nished with  a  tentacle-like  appendage,  one  of  which  is  small  and 
thread-like,  and  the  other  expanded  at  its  extremity  into  a  conical 
operculum  or  stopper,  marked  with  a  number  of  ridges,  which  form  a 
beautiful  series  of  teeth  around  its  circumference.  The  footstalk  on 
which  this  stopper  is  mounted  is  a  little  longer  than  the  gills,  so  that 
when  the  animal  retreats  into  its  tube  the  gills  collapse  and  vanish, 
and  the  entrance  of  the  tube  is  exactly  closed  by  the  conical  stopper. 
The  family  of  which  the  common  Earth-worm  is  a  very  familiar 
example  is  distinguished  by  the  ringed  body  without  any  gills  or 
feet,  but  with  bristles  arranged  upon  the  rings  for  the  purpose  of 
progression. 

In  the  well-known  Earth-worm  the  bristles  are  short  and  very  stiff, 
and  are  eight  in  number  on  each  ring,  two  pairs  being  placed  on  each 

side;  so  that,  in  fact,  there  are 
eight  longitudinal  rows  of  bristles 
on  the  body,  four  on  the  sides  and 
four  below,  which  enable  the  crea- 
ture to  take  a  firm  hold  of  the 
ground  as  it  proceeds.  Except 
that  the  worm  makes  use  of 
bristles,  and  the  snake  of  the 
edges  of  its  scales,  the  mode  of 
progress  is  much  the  same  in  both 
The  whole  body  of  the  creature  is  very  elastic,  and  capable  of 
being  extended  or  contracted  to  a  wonderful  degree.  AVhen  it  wishes 
to  advance  it  pushes  forward  its  body,  permits  the  bristles  to  hitch 
against  the  ground,  and  then,  by  contracting  the  rings  together,  brings 
itself  forward,  and  is  ready  for  another  step.  As  in  each  full-grown 
Earth-worm  there  are  at  least  one  hundred  and  twenty  rings,  and  each 
rmg  contains  eight  bristles,  it  may  be  imagined  that  the  hold  upon  the 
ground  is  very  strong. 

The  Common  Leech  is  almost  as  familiar  as  the  earth-worm,  and  is 
one  of  a  genus  which  furnishes  the  blood-sucking  creatures  which  are 
so  largely  used  in  surgery.  It  belongs  to  a  large  group  of  Annelida 
which  have  no  projecting  bristles  to  help  them  onward,  and  are  there- 
tore  forced  to  proceed  in  a  different  manner.     All  these  Leeches  are 


The  Common  Leech  {Hirudo  medici- 
ncdis). 


cases. 


THE  ECHINODERMATA.  671 

wouderfully  adapted  for  the  purpose  to  which  they  are  applied,  their 
mouths  being  supplied  with  sharp  teeth  to  cut  the  vessels,  and  with  a 
sucker-like  disc,  so  that  the  blood  can  be  drawn  from  its  natural  chan- 
nels ;  while  their  digestive  organs  are  little  more  than  a  series  of  sacs 
in  which  an  enormous  quantity  of  blood  can  be  received  and  retained. 


RADIATA. 
ECHINODERMATA. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  vast  and  comprehensive  division  of  living  beings, 
which  have  no  joints  whatever  and  no  limbs,  and  are  called  Radiata, 
because  all  their  parts  radiate  from  a  common  centre.  The  structure 
is  very  evident  in  some  of  these  beings,  but  in  others  the  formation  is 
so  exceedingly  obscure  that  it  is  only  by  anatomical  investigation  that 
their  real  position  is  discovered. 

The  highest  forms  in  this  division  have  been  gathered  together  in  the 
class  Echinodermata.  This  w'ord  signifies  "  urchin-skinned,"  and  is 
given  to  the  animals  comprising  it  because  their  skins  are  more  or  less 
furnished  with  spines  resembling  those  of  the  hedgehog.  In  these 
animals  the  radiate  form  is  very  plainly  shown,  some  of  them  assuming 
a  perfectly  star-like  shape,  of  which  the  common  star-fishes  of  our 
coasts  are  familiar  examples.  In  some  of  the  Radiates,  such  as  the 
sea-urchin,  the  whole  body  is  encrusted  with  a  chalky  coat,  while  in 
others  it  is  as  soft  and  easily  torn  as  if  it  were  composed  of  mere 
structureless  gelatine. 

The  mode  of  walking,  or  rather  creeping,  which  is  practised  by  these 
beings  is  very  interesting,  and  may  easily  be  seen  by  watching  the  pro- 
ceedings of  a  common  star-fish  when  placed  in  a  vessel  of  sea-water. 
At  first  it  will  be  quite  still  and  lie  as  if  dead,  but  by  degrees  the  tips 
of  the  arms  will  be  seen  to  curve  slightly,  and  then  the  creature  slides 
forward  without  any  perceptible  means  of  locomotion.  If,  however,  it 
be  suddenly  taken  from  the  water  and  reversed,  the  mystery  is  at  once 
solved,  and  the  walking  appartus  is  seen  to  consist  of  a  vast  number  of 
tiny  tentacles,  each  with  a  little  round  transparent  head,  and  all  mov- 
ing slowly  but  continually  from  side  to  side,  sometimes  being  thrust  out 
to  a  considerable  distance,  and  sometimes  being  withdrawn  almost  wholly 
within  the  shell.  These  are  the  "  ambulacrie,"  or  walking  apparatus, 
and  are  among  the  most  extraordinary  means  of  progression  in  the  an- 
imal kingdom.  Each  of  these  innumerable  organs  acts  as  a  sucker,  its 
soft  head  being  applied  to  any  hard  substance,  and  adhering  thereto 
with  tolerable  firmness  until  the  pressure  is  relaxed  and  the  sucker  re- 
leased. The  suckers  continually  move  forward,  seize  upon  the  ground, 
draw  the  body  gently  along,  and  then  search  for  a  new  hold.     As  there 


672 


THE  SEA-UKCHIN. 


are  nearly  two  thousand  suckers  continually  at  work,  some  being  pro- 
truded, others  relaxed,  and  others  still  feeling  for  a  holding-place,  the 
progress  of  the  creature  is  very  regular  and  gliding,  and  hardly  seems 
to  be  produced  by  voluntary  motion. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  some  examples  of  these  curious  beings. 

We  first  take  a  beautiful  fiimily  of  this  order,  called  Echinidse,  be- 
cause they  are  covered  with  spines  like  the  quills  of  the  hedgehog. 
Popularly  they  are  known  by  the  name  of  Sea-urchins,  or  Sea- 
Eggs. 

In  all  these  curious  beings  the  upper  parts  are  protected  by  a  kind 
of  shell,  always  more  or  less  dome-shaped,  but  extremely  variable  in 


The  Sea-urchin  {Echinus  sphcera). 

form.  The  shell  is  one  of  the  most  marvellous  structures  in  the  animal 
kingdom,  and  the  mechanical  difficulties  which  are  overcome  in  its  for- 
mation are  of  no  ordinary  kind.  In  the  case  of  the  common  Sea-egg 
the  shell  is  nearly  globular.  Now,  this  shell  increases  in  size  with  the 
age  of  the  animal ;  and  how  a  hollow  spherical  shell  can  increase  reg- 
ularly in  size,  not  materially  altering  its  shape,  is  a  problem  of  extreme 
difficulty.  It  is,  however,  solved  in  the  following  manner.  The  shell 
is  composed  of  a  vast  number  of  separate  pieces,  whose  junction  is  evi- 
dent when  the  interior  of  the  shell  is  examined,  but  is  almost  entirely 
hidden  by  the  projections  upon  the  outer  surface.     These  pieces  are  of 


THE  STAR-FISH.  673 

a  hexagonal  or  pentagonal  shape,  with  a  slight  curve,  and  having  most- 
ly two  opposite  sides  much  longer  than  the  others.  As  the  animal 
grows  fresh  deposits  of  chalky  matter  are  made  upon  the  edges  of  each 
plate,  so  that  the  plate  increases  regularly  in  size,  still  keeping  its 
shape,  and  in  consequence  the  dimensions  of  the  whole  shell  increase, 
while  the  globular  shape  is  preserved.  If  a  fresh  and  perfect  specimen 
be  examined,  the  surface  is  seen  to  be  covered  with  short  sharp  spines 
set  so  thickly  that  the  substance  of  the  shell  can  hardly  be  seen  through 
them.  The  structure  of  these  spines  is  very  remarkable,  and  under  the 
microscope  they  present  some  most  interesting  details.  Moreover,  each 
spine  is  movable  at  the  will  of  the  owner,  and  works  upon  a  true  ball- 
and-socket  joint,  the  ball  being  a  round  globular  projection  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  shell,  and  the  socket  sunk  into  the  base  of  the  spine. 

The  common  Sea-urchin  is  edible,  and  in  some  places  is  extensively 
consumed,  fully  earning  its  title  of  Sea-egg  by  being  boiled  and  eaten 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  eggs  of  poultry. 

Leaving  the  Echini,  we  pass  to  the  next  large  group  of  Echinoder- 
mata,  called  scientifically  Asteriadse,  and  popularly  known  as  Star- 
fishes. These  creatures  exhibit  in 
the  strongest  manner  the  radiate  form 
of  body,  the  various  organs  boldly  ra- 
diating from  a  common  centre. 

Many  of  these  creatures  are  exceed- 
ingly common  upon  our  own  coasts — 
so  plentiful,  indeed,  as  to  be  intensely 
hated  by  the  fishermen.  Of  these,  the 
common  Five-finger,  or  Cross-fish, 
is  perhaps  found  in  the  greatest  num- 
bers. All  Star-fishes  are  very  wonder- 
ful beings,  and  well  repay  a  close  and 
lengthened  examination  of  their  habits,  The  Star-fish  {Uraster  mbens). 
their  development,  and  their  anatomy.  There  are  sufficient  materials 
in  a  single  Star-fish  to  fill  a  whole  book  as  large  as  the  present  volume, 
and  it  is  therefore  necessary  that  our  descriptions  shall  be  but  brief 
and  compressed.  To  begin  with  the  ordinary  habits  of  this  creature: 
Every  one  who  has  wandered  by  the  seaside  has  seen  a  specimen  of  the 
common  Five-finger  thrown  on  the  beach,  and  perhaps  may  have  passed 
it  by  as  something  too  commonplace  to  deserve  notice.  If  it  be  taken 
up,  it  dangles  helplessly  from  the  hand,  and  appears  to  be  one  of  the 
most  innocuous  beings  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Yet  this  very  creature 
has  in  all  probability  killed  and  devoured  great  numbers  of  the  edible 
molluscs,  and  has  either  entirely  or  partially  excited  the  anger  of  many 
an  industrious  fisherman. 

To  begin  with  the  former  delinquency:  It  is  found  that  the  Star-fish 

57  2S 


674 


THE  STAK-FISH. 


is  a  terrible  foe  to  molluscs,  and,  although  its  body  is  so  soft,  and  it  is 
destitute  of  any  jaws  or  levers,  such  as  are  employed  by  other  mollusc- 
eating  inhabitants  of  the  sea,  it  can  devour  even  the  tightly-shut  bi- 
valves, however  firmly  they  may  close  their  valves. 

The  second  delinquency  of  the  Star-fish  is  achieved  as  follows :  By 
some  wonderful  power  it  is  enabled  to  detect  prey  at  some  distance, 
even  though  no  organs  of  sight,  hearing,  or  scent  can  absolutely  be  de- 
fined.    When,  therefore,  the  fisherman   lowers  his  bait  into  the  sea, 


The  Sea  Cucumbers  and  Star-fishes. 

the  Star-fishes  and  crabs  often  seize  the  hook,  and  so  give  him  all  the 
trouble  of  pulling  up  his  line  for  nothing,  baiting  the  hook  afresh,  and 
losing  his  time.  ^  The  fishermen  always  kill  the  Star-fish  in  reprisal  for 
its  attack  on  their  bait,  and  formerly  were  accustomed  to  tear  it  across 
and  fling  the  pieces  into  the  sea.  This,  however,  is  a  very  foolish  plan 
of  proceeding,  for  the  Star-fish  is  wonderfully  tenacious  of  life,  and  can 
bear  the  loss  of  one  or  all  of  its  rays  without  seeming  much  inconve- 
nienced.    The  two  halves  of  the  Asterias  would  simply  heal  the  wound, 


THE  ACALEPHA. 


675 


put  forth  fresh  rays,  and  after  a  time  be  transmuted  into  two  perfect 
Star-fishes. 

The  movements  of  the  Star-fish  are  extremely  graceful,  the  creature 
gliding  onward  with  a  beautifully  smooth  and  regular  motion.  It  al- 
ways manages  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  surface  over  which  it  is 
passing,  never  bridging  over  even  a  slight  depression,  but  following  ex- 
actly all  the  inequalities  of  the  ground.  It  can  also  pass  through  a 
very  narrow  opening,  and  does  so  by  pushing  one  ray  in  front  and  then 
folding  the  others  back,  so  that  they  may  afibrd  no  obstacle  to  the  pas- 
sage. It  also  has  an  odd  habit  of  pressing  the  points  of  its  rays  upon 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  and  raising  itself  in  the  middle,  so  as  to  resemble 
a  five-legged  stool. 

ACALEPHA. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  large  and  important  class  of  animals.  These 
beings  are  scientifically  termed  Acalepha — a  word  which  may  freely 
be  rendered  as  "  sea-nettles."  The  term  is  appropriate  to  many  of  the 
species  which  compose  this  large  class,  for  a  very  great  number  of  the 
Acalepha  are  possessed  of  certain  poisoned  weapons  which  pierce  the 
skin  and  irritate  the  nerves  as  if  they  were  veritable  stinging-nettles 
floating  about  in  the  sea.  Popularly  they  are  known  by  the  familiar 
term  Jelly-fishes,  because  their  structure  is  so  gelatinous,  mostly  clear 
and  transparent,  but  sometimes  semi-opaque  or  colored  with  most  beau- 
tiful tints. 

In  the  illustration  may  be  seen  a  remarkable  creature  called  by  the 
popular  name  of  the  Sallee  Man,  sometimes  corrupted,  in  nautical 
fashion,  into  Sallyman.  In 
this  curious  animal  the  body 
is  membranous,  oval,  and  very 
flat,  and  may  at  once  be  recog- 
nized by  the  cartilaginous  crest 
which  rises  obliquely  from  its 
upper  surface. 

The  Velella  is  very  widely 
distributed,  and  is  found  in 
every  sea  except  those  that 
are  subject  to  the  cold  influ- 
ences of  the  poles.  It  seldom  ^  ^^  zTr,  ;;  ;  ■  \ 
,  111..  1  Sallee  Man  (Velella  indyans). 
approaches  land,  but  may  be 

met  in  vast  numbers,  sometimes  being  crowded  together  in  large  masses 
and  of  various  sizes. 

The  celebrated  Portuguese  Man-of-w^ar  is  a  beautiful  but  most 
formidable  acaleph.  It  is  found  in  all  the  tropical  seas,  and  never 
fails  to  attract  the  attention  of  those  who  see  it  for  the  first  time.     The 


676 


VENUS'S  GIRDLE. 


general  shape  of  this  remarkable  being  is  a  bubble-like  envelope  filled 
with  air,  upon  which  is  a  membranous  crest,  and  which  has  a  number 
of  long  tentacles  hanging  from  one  end.  These  tentacles  can  be  pro- 
truded or  withdrawn  at  will,  and  sometimes  reach  a  considerable 
length.  They  are  of  different  shapes,  some  being  short  and  only 
measuring  a  few  inches  in  length,  while  the  seven  or  eight  central 
tentacles  will  extend  to  a  distance  of  several  feet.  These  long  ten- 
tacles are  formidably  armed  with  stinging  tentacles,  too  minute  to  be 

seen  with  the  naked  eye,  but  possessing 
venomous  powers  even  more  noxious 
than  those  of  the  common  nettle.  "  It 
is  in  these  appendages  alone,*'  writes  Mr. 
D.  Bennett,  "  that  the  stinging  property 
of  the  Physalis  resides.  Every  other 
part  of  the  mollusc  may  be  touched 
with  impunity,  but  the  slightest  contact 
of  the  hand  with  the  cable  produces  a 
sensation  as  painful  and  protracted  as 
the  stinging  of  nettles;  while,  like  the 
effect  of  that  vegetable  poison,  the  skin 
of  the  injured  part  often  presents  a 
white  elevation  or  wheal." 

The  colors  of  the  Physalis  are  always 
beautiful,  and  slightly  variable  in  both 
tint  and  intensity.  The  delicate  pink 
crest  can  be  elevated  or  depressed  at 
will,  and  is  beautifully  transparent, 
grooved  vertically  throughout  its  length. 
The  general  hue  of  its  body  is  blue,  tak- 
ing a  very  deep  tint  at  the  pointed  end, 
and  fading  into  softer  hues  toward  the 
tentacles.  A  general  iridescence,  how- 
TiiE  Portuguese  Man-of-war  ever,  plays  over  the  body,  which  seems 
[Physalis  pelayicus).  .  ,   -     i-    ^^     ,     ■.        n  "^       j       n  . 

^    -^      '  in  certam  lights  to  be  formed  of  topaz, 

sapphire,  or  aquamarine.  The  short  fringes  are  beautifully  colored, 
the  inner  row  being  deep  purple  and  the  outer  row  glowing  crimson 
as  if  formed  of  living  carbuncle. 

If  the  reader  will  now  refer  to  the  illustration  he  will  see  a  long,  fiat, 
ribbon-like  creature  edged  with  a  delicate  fringe  of  cilia.  This  curious 
being  is  called  Venus's  Girdle,  and  from  its  beauty  fully  deserves  the 
name.  This  lovely  creature  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  where  it 
attains  to  the  extraordinary  length  of  five  feet,  the  breadth  being  only 
two  inches.  Rightly,  the  words  "  breadth  "  and  "  length  "  ought  to  be 
transposed,  as  the  development  is  wholly  lateral.     The  mouth  of  the 


THE  JELLY-FISHES. 


677 


Venus's  Girdle  occupies  a  very  small  space  iu  proportion  to  the  large 
dimensions  of  the  creature  to  which  it  belongs. 

We  now  come  to  a  very  large  order  of  acalephs,  including  all  those 
beings  which  are  so  familiar  under  the  title  of  Jelly-fishes,  Slob- 
bers, and  similar  euphonious  names.  They  are  all  united  under  the 
name  of  Discophora,  or  "  disc-bearers,"  because  they  are  furnished  with 
a  large  umbrella-like  disc,  by  means  of  which  they  are  enabled  to  pro- 
ceed through  the  water. 


Venus's  Girdle  {Cesium  Veneris). 

In  the  illustration  on  page  678  an  example  may  be  seen  of  the 
typical  genus  of  this  family,  which  is  a  native  of  our  own  seas.  This 
is  a  sufficiently  common  species,  and  may  be  found  plentifully  on  our 
shores,  together  with  its  kindred.  There  are  few  more  beautiful  sights 
than  to  stand  on  a  pier-head  or  lie  in  a  boat  and  watch  the  Medusae 
passing  in  shoals  through  the  clear  water,  pulsating  as  if  the  whole 
being  were  but  a  translucent  heart,  trailing  behind  them  their  delicate 
fringes  of  waving  cilia,  and  rolling  gently  over  as  if  in  excess  of  happi- 
ness. At  night  many  of  the  Medusse  put  on  new  beauties,  glowing  with 
phosphorescent  light  like  marine  fireflies,  and  giving  to  the  ocean  an 
almost  unearthly  beauty  that  irresistibly  recalls  to  the  mind  the  "  sea 
of  glass  mingled  with  fire." 

ZOOPHYTES. 

Quitting  the  Acalephse,  we  come  to  the  vast  class  of  Zoophytes,  or 
"animal  plants,"  so  called  because,  though  really  belonging  to  the  an- 

57* 


678 


THE  SEA-ANEMONE  AND  THE  BEADLET. 


imal  kiDgdom,  many  of  them  bear  a  singularly  close  resemblance  to 
vegetable  forms.  Their  substance  is  always  gelatinous  and  fleshy,  and 
round  the  entrance  to  the  stomach  are  set  certain  tentacles,  used  in 
catching  prey  and  conveying  it  to  the  stomach.  These  tentacles  are 
armed  with  myriads  of  offensive  weapons  contained  in  little  capsules, 
and  capable  of  being  discharged  with  great  force.  Organs  of  sight, 
smell,  taste,  and  hearing  seem  to  be  totally  absent,  though  it  is  possible 


The  Jelly-fish  {Medusa  ^quorea). 


that  an  extended  sense  of  touch  may  compensate  the  creature  for  these 
deficiencies. 

The  highest  form  of  true  Zoophyte  is  undoubtedly  that  which  is  sc 
familiar  under  the  name  of  Sea-anemone — a  name  singularly  inappro- 
priate, inasmuch  as  the  resemblance  to  an  anemone  is  very  far-fetched, 
while  that  to  the  chrysanthemum,  daisy,  or  dandelion  is  very  close. 

A  widely-spread  Anemone,  with  the  circlet  of  pearl-like  beads  at 
the  base  of  its  tentacles,  is  the  well-known  Beadlet,  the  most  com- 
mon of  all  this  order  on  the  British  coasts.  It  is  a  singularly  hardy 
species,  living  mostly  on  the  rocks  that  lie  between  high-  and  low-water 
mark.     It  is  perhaps  more  variable  in  color  than  any  of  the  British 


THE  COKALS.  679 

Actiniae,  the  body  taking  all  imaginable  hues,  passing  from  bright 
scarlet  to  leaf-green,  graduating  from  scarlet  to  crimson,  from  crimson 
to  orange,  from  orange  to  yellow,  and  from  yellow  to  green.  The 
spherical  beads  around  its  mouth  are  more  persistent  in  color  than 
any  other  parts  of  the  animal,  being  almost  invariably  a  rich  blue, 
just  like  a  set  of  turquoises  placed  around  the  disc.     These,  however, 


The  Sea-anemones. 

are  occasionally  subject  to  change,  and  lose  all  color,  looking  like 
pearls  rather  than  turquoises. 

Leaving  the  sea-anemones,  we  now  proceed  to  the  next  tribe,  the 
Carophylliacese,  in  which  there  are  many  tentacles,  in  two  or  more 
series,  and  the  cells  many-rayed.  Many  of  these  beings  deposit  a 
corallum,  but  out  of  our  British  species  more  than  one-third  are  with- 
out this  chalky  support. 

The  Endive  Coral  is  so  called  from  the  resemblance  which  its  coral- 
lum bears  to  the  crumpled  leaves  of  that  vegetable.  The  animal  has  no 
tentacles,  and  the  cells  are  small,  conical,  and  rather  oblique.  The 
corallum  is  fixed,  sharply  edged,  and  expanded  from  the  base  to  the 
tip.  All  the  living  members  of  this  pretty  genus  are  to  be  found  in 
the  East  and  West  Indian  seas. 

The  Devonshire  Cup  Coral  is  not  a  very  large,  but  it  is  a  very 
pretty  species,  the  color  of  the  corallum  being  generally  pure  trans- 
lucent white,  sometimes  tinged  with  a  delicate  rosy  hue,  while  that  of 
the  living  animal  is  pearly  white,  variegated  with  rich  chestnut  and  the 
palest  imaginable  fawn. 

In  the  family  Oculinidse  the  corallum  is  branched  and   tree-like ; 


680 


THE  HYDROIDA  AND  THE  SERTULARIAD^. 


our  only  known  British  form  is  the  Tuft  Coral.  It  is  very  rare, 
and  but  seldom  taken  in  our  seas.  The  individual  corals  are  about 
half  an  inch  in  height  and  the  same  in  diameter. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  Hydroida,  which  are  known  by  the  internal 
cavity  being  simple  and  the  creature  increasing  by  buds  thrown  out 
from  the  sides. 

In  the  Sertulariadie  the  buds  are  enclosed  in  vesicles,  and  do  not 
break  away  when  adult.  They  are  in  cup-like  cells,  which  have  no 
footstalks. 

The  reproduction  of  these  beings  is  very  curious,  for  it  is  known  that 
they  can  be  propagated  by  cuttings  just  like  plants,  as  well  as  by  cell- 
vesicles,  and  that  in 
the  latter  case  the  first 
stage  of  the  young 
closely  resembles  that 
of  the  young  Medu- 
sae, already  mentioned. 
They  also  reproduce 
by  offshoots,  and  it  is 
very  likely  that  their 
capabilitiGS  in  this  re- 
spect are  not  limited  to 
even  these  three  meth- 
ods. 

Any  of  the  common 
Sertularise  affords  a 
good  example  of  this 
family,  and,  as  they 
are  easily  procured, 
they  are  very  valuable  aids  to  those  who  wish  to  study  the  structure  of 
these  beautiful  beings.  Even  the  empty  polypidon  is  not  without  its 
elegance,  and  is  often  made  up  into  those  flattened  bouquets  of  so- 
called  seaweeds  which  are  sold  in  such  quantities  at  seaside  bathing- 
towns.  But  when  the  whole  being  is  full  of  life  and  health,  its  mul- 
titudinous cells  filled  with  the  delicate  polypes,  each  furnished  with 
more  than  twenty  tentacles  all  moving  in  the  water,  its  beauty  defies 
description.  These  little  polypes  are  wonderfully  active  and  suspi- 
cious. At  the  least  alarm  they  retreat  into  their  cells  as  if  withdrawn 
by  springs,  and  when  they  again  push  out  their  tentacles  it  is  in  a  very 
wary  and  careful  manner. 

ROTIFERA. 

Although  the  Rotifera,  or  "  wheel  animalcules,"  are  generally  placed 
among   the  Infusoria,  on  account  of  their   minute  dimensions   and 


The  Cup  Corals. 


THE  ROTIFERA  AND  THE  RHIZOPODA.  681 

aquatic  habits,  it  is  evident,  from  many  peculiarities  of  their  formation, 
that  they  deserve  a  much  higher  place,  and  in  all  probability  constitute 
a  class  by  themselves. 

They  are  called  Wheel  Animalcules  on  account  of  a  curious  structure 
which  is  found  upon  many  of  their  members,  and  which  looks  very 
like  a  pair  of  revolving  wheels  set  upon  the  head.  These  so-called 
wheels  are  two  disc-like  lobes,  the  edges  of  which  are  fringed  with  cilia, 
which  when  in  movement  give  to  the  creature  an  appearance  as  if  it 
wore  wheels  on  its  head,  like  those  of  the  fairy  knight  of  ballad  poetry. 
These  wheels  can  be  drawn  into  the  body  at  will  or  protruded  to  some 
little  extent,  and  their  object  is  evidently  to  procure  food  by  causing 
currents  of  water  to  flow  across  the  mouth.  All,  however,  do  not 
possess  these  appendages,  but  have  a  row  of  cilia,  mostly  broken  into 
lobes,  extending  all  around  the  upper  portion  of  the  body. 

These  remarkable  beings  are  found  mostly  in  water  that  has  become 
stagnant,  but  is  partially  purified  by  the  presence  of  the  infusorians, 
which  always  swarm  in  such  localities. 

The  typical  genus  of  this  class  is  known  by  the  name  of  Rotifer. 
In  all  the  members  the  body  is  rather  elongated,  and  furnished  at  the 
hinder  end  with  a  kind  of  telescopic  tail,  by  means  of  which  they  can 
attach  themselves  at  will  to  any  object,  and  release  themselves  when- 
ever they  please.  Sometimes  they  move  their  bodies  gently  about 
while  still  grasping  by  the  extremity  of  the  tail ;  sometimes  they  are 
nearly  motionless ;  while  they  frequently  rock  themselves  backward 
and  forward  so  violently  that  they  almost  seem  to  be  testing  the 
strength  of  their  hold. 

These  creatures  can  both  swim  and  crawl,  the  former  act  of  locomo- 
tion being  achieved  by  the  movement  of  the  cilia,  and  the  latter  by 
creeping  along  after  the  fashion  of  the  leech,  the  head  and  tail  taking 
alternate  hold  of  the  object  on  which  they  are  crawling.  The  masti- 
cating apparatus  is  always  conspicuous,  whether  the  animal  has  the 
wheel  protruded  or  withdrawn.  It  is  situated  behind  the  bases  of 
the  wheel-lobes,  and  looks,  when  the  animal  is  at  rest,  something  like 
a  circular  buckler  with  a  cross  composed  of  double  lines  drawn  over 
its  surface. 

RHIZOPODA. 

The  whole  arrangement  of  the  beings  which  we  are  now  about  to 
examine  is  still  very  obscure,  and  the  best  zoologists  of  the  present 
time  have  declared  that  any  system  which  has  been  hitherto  adopted 
can  only  be  considered  as  provisional. 

These  minute  though  beautiful  beings  exist  in  numbers  that  are  ri- 
valled only  by  the  sands  of  the  sea  for  multitude ;  and  the  vast  hosts 
of  these  creatures  can  barely  be  estimated  even  when  we  know  that 


682 


THE  PORIFERA. 


many  large  cities  are  built  wholly  of  the  dead  skeletons  of  these  mi- 
croscopic beings,  and  that  in  a  single  ounce  of  sand  from  the  Caribbean 
Sea  nearly  four  millions  of  those  shells  have  been  discovered. 

The  first  sub-class  of  these  beings  is  the  Foraminifera,  so  called  on 
account  of  the  tiny  openings,  or  foramina,  with  which  the  pretty  shells 
are  pierced.  Sometimes,  however,  this  shell  is  wanting,  and  its  place 
is  supplied  by  a  cover  composed  of  matted  sand-grains. 


PORIFERA. 

We  now  arrive  at  a  large  class  of  beings,  which  are  by  common  con- 
sent allowed  to  form  the  very  lowest  link  in  the  animal  chain.  The 
name  Porifera  is  given  to  them  because  the  whole  of  their  surface  is 
pierced  with  holes  of  various  dimensions,  the  greater  number  being 

extremely  minute, 
i^i\\^^  while  others  are  of 
considerable  dimen- 
sions. The  well- 
known  Turkey 
Sponge,  so  useful 
for  the  toilet,  will 
afford  a  good  ex- 
ample of  the  porous 
structure. 

The    true    living 
being  which  consti- 
tutes the  Sponge  is 
of  a  soft  and  almost 
gelatinous      texture 
to  the  unaided  eye, 
and    with    the    aid 
of  the  microscope  is 
found  to  consist  of 
_  an    aggregation    of 
i  separate  bodies  like 
The  Living  Sponge.  those  of  the  Amoeba, 

some  of  which  are  furnished  with  long  cilia.  By  the  constant  action 
of  the  cilia  a  current  of  water  is  kept  up,  causing  the  liquid  to  enter 
by  innumerable  pores  with  which  the  surface  is  pierced,  and  to  be  ex- 
pelled through  the  larger  orifices.  A  sponge  in  full  action  is  a  won- 
derful sight,  the  cilia  driving  the  water  in  ceaseless  torrents,  whirling 
along  all  kinds  of  solid  particles,  arresting  those  which  are  useful  for 
digestion,  and  rejecting  those  with  which  it  cannot  assimilate. 

The  extraordinary  object  which  is  called  by  the  appropriate  name  of 


NEPTUNE'S  CUP.  683 

Neptune's  Cup  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent,  as  well  as  one  of  the 
most  notable,  of  the  Sponge  tribe.  It  hardly  looks  like  a  Sponge;  and 
when  a  specimen  is  shown  to  persons  who  have  no  knowledge  of  the 
subject,  they  can  hardly  ever  be  made  to  believe  that  the  exhibitor  is 
not  endeavoring  to  play  a  practical  joke  upon  them. 

The  Neptune's  Cup  is  of  enormous  dimensions,  often  measuring  four 
feet  in  height  and  having  a  corresponding  width.  Its  exterior  is  rough, 
gnarled,  and  knotted  like  the  bark  of  some  old  tree ;  and  if  a  portion 
W'Cre  removed  from  the  side,  it  might  almost  be  mistaken  for  a  piece 
of  cork  tree  bark.  Many  persons  have  imagined  that  the  strangely- 
shaped 'object  was  made  of  the  skin  of  an  elephant's  leg,  and  I  have 
even  heard  a  teacher  telling  her  pupils  that  it  was  an  old  Roman  wine- 
jar. 

This  is  one  of  the  exotic  Sponges,  being  found  only  in  the  hotter 
xieas. 


INDEX 


ACALEPHA,  675. 

Acanthopterygii,  541. 
Accentor,  362. 

Hedge,  362. 
Aecentorinae,  362. 
Acorn  Barnacle,  662. 
Actiniae,  679. 
Adder,  Puff,  508. 
Adjutant,  459. 
Admiral,  Scarlet,  640 
jEgeriidge,  643. 
Agamas,  501. 
Agouti,  180. 

Ai,  or  Three- Toed  Sloth,  276. 
Albatross,  AVandering,  480. 
Alcinae,  475. 
Alligator,  493. 
Alligatoridge,  493. 
Alpaca,  240. 
American  Monkeys,  28. 
Ampelid£e,  378. 
Ampelinae,  378. 
Anabas  Scandens,  559. 
Anaconda,  512. 
Anchovy,  569. 
Anemone,  Sea,  678. 
Animalcules,  Wheel,  680,  681. 
Annelida,  669. 
Annulata,  669. 
Ant,  White,  626. 
Ant-Eater,  Great,  270. 
Middle,  271. 
Little,  271. 
Antelopes,  207. 

Ant-Lion,  630. 

White,  626,  627. 

Ants'  Eggs,  634. 

Ape,  Barbary,  23. 

Aphaniptera,  651. 

Aphides,  649. 

Apteryx,  449. 

Arachnida,  663. 

Arctic  Fox,  94. 

Arctiidae,  645. 

Argonaut,  590. 

Argns,  Pheasant,  435. 

Ariel  Petaurus,  138. 

Armadillo,  269. 

Arnee,  202. 

Arthronomalus  Longieornis,  578. 

Articulata,  612. 
58 


Aspalacidas,  196. 
Ass,  245. 
Asse,  95. 
Auk,  Great,  475 
Avahi,  42. 
Avicularidae,  605. 
Avocet,  462. 
Aye-Aye,  43. 

Baboons,  25. 
Babyroussa,  258. 
Bactrian  Camel,  237. 
Badger,  109. 

Australian,  143. 
Bajjerkeit,  268. 
Balaena,  157. 
Balasnidse,  157. 
Bandicoot,  Long-Nosed,  141. 
Barbel,  577. 
Barnacle,  Acorn,  662. 
Duck,  662. 
Barnacles,  661. 
Bass,  Black,  549. 
Bat,  Long-Eared,  47. 

Vampire,  46. 
Batrachians,  418. 
Bay  Bamboo  Rat,  197. 
Beadlet,  678. 
Bear,  112. 

Australian,  140. 
Black,  115. 
Brown,  113. 
Grizzly,  115. 
Malayan  Sun,  116. 
Polar,  116. 
Syrian,  115. 
Beaver,  174. 
Bee-Eater,  334. 
Hive,  636. 
Humble,  637. 
Beetle,  Bloody-Nose,  621. 
Burying,  016. 
Ground,  014. 
Lamellicorn,  616. 
Musk,  620. 
Oil,  619. 
Rove,  615. 
Stag,  617. 
Tiger,  612. 
Violet  Ground,  613. 
Water,  614. 


085 


686 


INDEX. 


Bernicle  Goose,  468. 

Bird  of  Paradise,  Emerald,  390. 

Birds,  277. 

Bison,  203. 

Bittern,  456. 

Bivalves,  594. 

Blackbird.  373. 

Blackcap  Warbler,  357. 

Black  Cock,  443. 

Macaque,  24. 
Yarke,  35. 
Blattidae,  622. 
Bleak,  580. 
Blennies,  558. 
Blenny,  Eyed,  558. 
Bliudworm,  496. 
Blister,  or  Spanish  Fly,  61S. 
Bloodhound,  80. 
Bloody-Nose  Beetle,  621. 
Boa  Constrictor,  511. 
Boar,  257. 

Bohemian  Waxwing,  378. 
Boidge,  511. 
Bombycidse,  644. 
Boomslange,  515. 
Bosch  Vark,  259. 
Bot  Fly,  652. 
Bower-bird,  Satin,  391. 
Brachelytra,  615. 
Brachyura,  65" 
Bream,  579. 
Breast-plate,  609. 
Breeze  Fly,  652. 
Bufialo,  201. 

Cape,  202. 
Bug,  Bed,  650. 

Wheel,  650. 
Bulldog,  84. 
Bullfinch,  405. 
Bull-head,  547. 
Buprestidae,  618. 
Burying-beotle,  616. 
Bush  Hog,  259. 
Bustard,  Great,  450, 
Butcher  Birds.     See  Lanid^e. 
Butterfly,  Camberwell  Beauty,  640. 

Comma,  640. 

Peacock,  639. 

Swallow-tailed.  638. 

Tortoiseshell,  640. 
Buzzard,  292. 

Caama.     See  Asse. 
Cacajao,  35, 
Cachalot,  159, 
Cacomixle,  72. 
Caddis-fly,  631. 
Calamaries,  or  Squids,  592. 
Calpidium  ornatum,  610. 
Camel,  235. 

Bactrian,  237. 
Camelopardalis,  223. 
Campagnol,  172. 


Canada  Lynx,  64. 
Canary,  400. 
Cancerida?,  655. 
Canis,  76-89. 
Cantharidae,  619. 
Capercaillie,  441. 
Capra,  217. 
Capucin,  34. 
Capybara,  181. 
Carabidte,  613. 
Carabus,  613. 
Cardiadfe,  607. 
Carolina  Parrot,  412. 
Carophylliacese,  679,  680. 
Carp,  576. 
Cashmir  Goat,  219. 
Cassowary,  448. 
Cat,  63. 

Civet,  71. 

Wild,  62. 
Catenicella  cornuta,  610. 
hastata,  609. 
Cellularlia  Peachii,  610. 
Centipedes,  668. 
Cephalopoda,  589. 
Cerastes,  508. 
Cercopidge.  649. 
Certhidse,  348. 
Cetacea,  156. 
Chacma,  25. 

Chgetodon,  Beaked,  545. 
Chgetodontina,  545. 
ChaflBnch,  397. 
Chambered  Nautilus,  594. 
Chameleon,  502. 
ChameleonidEe,  502. 
Chamois,  211. 
Chati,  60. 

Chatterer,  Waxen,  378. 
Cheiroptera,  45. 
Chetah,  65, 

Chicken,  Mother  Cary's,  479. 
Chimpansee,  12. 
Chinchilla,  184. 
Chinese  Otter,  111. 
Chiton,  Marbled,  602. 
Chitonidae,  601. 
Choeropus,  145. 
Chondropterygii,  533, 
Chough,  389, 
Chrysochroa,  618. 
Chrysomelidae,  621. 
Chub,  580. 
Cicada  Anglica,  649. 
Flosfolia,  648. 
Cicadae,  648. 
Cicindela.  613. 
Cicindelidse,  613. 
Cimbex,  633. 
Cimicidffi,  650. 
Cirrhipedes,  661. 
Civet  Cat,  71. 
Cleg,  652, 


INDEX. 


687 


Cleodora,  604. 

Clupeidse,  569. 

Coaita  Spider  Monkey,  29. 

Coast  Rat,  197. 

Coati  Mondi,  120. 

Cobra  di  Capello,  515. 

Coccidse,  648. 

Coccinellidae,  621. 

Cochineal,  Insect,  649. 

Cockatoo,  Leadbeater's,  417. 

Sulphur-crested,  415. 
Cockchafer,  617. 
Cockles,  607. 
Cock  of  the  Plains,  442. 
Cockroach,  622. 

Cocktails.     See  Rove  Beetles. 
Cod,  564. 
Coleoptera,  612. 
Colobus,  20. 
Colubrinae,  512. 
Colugo.  44. 
Columba,  425. 
Columb^,  425. 
Columbidae,  425. 
Columbinje,  425. 
Colymbidte,  47^^. 
Colymbinae,  473. 
Colymbus,  473. 
Conchifera,  605. 
Condor,  280. 
Cone,  Admiral,  598. 

Textile,  598. 
Cone-shells,  598. 
Conger  Eel,  567. 
Conidae,  598. 
Conirostres,  381. 
Coot,  467. 

Coquette,  Spangled,  346. 
Coral,  Devonshire  Cup,  679. 

Endive,  679. 

Tuft,  680. 
Cormorant,  483. 

Crested,  484. 
Corncrake,  465. 
Corvidaj,  381. 
Corvina?,  381. 
Cowry,  Money,  599. 

Deep-toothed,  599. 
Crab,  Calling,  657. 

Edible,  655. 

Fighting,  656. 

Green,  656. 

Hermit,  or  Soldier,  657. 

Nipper,  656. 

Swimming,  656. 

Thornback,  654. 

Thornback-Spider,  654. 
Crabro  cribrarius,  634. 
Crab-spider,  or  Matoutou,  664. 
Cramp-fish,  538. 
Crane,  453. 

Demoiselle,  454. 
Fly,  Great,  657. 


Cray-fish,  658. 
Crested  Curassow,  430. 
Cricket,  Field,  623. 
Mole,  624. 
Crocodile,  Egyptian,  493. 
Crocodilid^,  492. 
Crocodilus,  492. 
Crossbill,  406. 
Cross-fish,  673. 
Crotalidaj,  506. 
Crow,  384. 

Hooded,  387. 
Crustacea,  652. 
Cryptoprocta,  75. 
Cuckoo,  423. 
Cuckoo-spit,  649. 
Curculionid£e,  620. 
Curlew,  461. 
Cursores,  445. 
Cushat,  427. 
"Cuttle-bone."  593. 
Cynipida),  633. 
Cyprajidse,  598. 

Dabchick,  474. 
Dace,  580. 

Daddy  Long-legs,  651. 
Dasypidae,  267. 
Dasyure,  146. 
Death's  Head  Moth,  641. 
Deer,  Axis,  233. 
Fallow,  232. 

Kanchil,  or  Pigmy  Musk,  235. 
Musk,  234. 
Red,  225,  230. 
Rein,  228. 
Demoiselle  Dragon  Fly,  630. 
Dendrophida?,  514. 
Dendrosaura,  502. 
Devil's  Coach-horse,  615. 
Dicaeum,  Australian,  338. 
Dipper,  369. 
Diptera,  651. 
Discophora,  677. 
Diver,  Great  Northern,  473. 
Dodo,  429. 
Dog,  Bull,  84. 

King  Charles's,  79. 
Maltese,  79. 
Mexican  Lap,  80. 
Newfoundland,  76. 
Pomeranian,  78. 
Prairie,  193. 
Sheep,  81. 
Dog-fish.  Spotted.  534. 
Dog-headed  Monkeys.     See  Bab(X)ns. 
Dolphin,  161. 
Doris,  604. 
Dormouse,  187. 
Dory,  John,  553. 
Douroucouli.  35. 
Dove,  Ring.  427. 
Stock,  426. 


688 


INDEX. 


Dove,  Turtle,  428. 
Dragon,  Flying,  501. 
Dragon-fly,  628,  629. 

Demoiselle,  630. 
Duck,  Barnacle,  662. 
Duck-bill,  272. 

Eider,  473. 

Wild,  472. 
Dziggetai,  246. 

Eagle,  Golden,  287. 

Bald,  or  White-headed,  291. 
Earth-worm,  670. 
Earwig,  Giant,  622. 
Echidna,  274. 
Echinidaa,  672. 
Echinodermata,  671. 
Edible  Crab,  655. 
Eel,  Conger,  567. 

Electric,  568. 

Sharp-nosed,  565. 
Eggs,  Sea,  581. 
Eider  Duck,  473. 
Eland,  215. 

Elephant,  African,  254. 
Asiatic,  250. 
Sea,  155. 
Elk,  226. 

Emerald  Bird  of  Paradise,  390. 
Emeu,  446. 
Endive  Coral,  679. 
Entellus,  18. 
Entomophaga,  633. 
Eolis,  604. 

Erd  Shrew.     See  Shrew  Mouse. 
Ermine,  104. 
Eumenes  Arcuatus,  635. 

Falco,  296. 
Falcon,  Jer,  296. 

Peregrine,  297. 
Stone,  300. 
Falconida?,  287. 
Falconinas,  296. 
FelidEe,  50. 
Fcnnec,  94. 
Ferret,  101. 
Fieldfare.  373. 
Finches,  396. 
Fishes,  529-533. 

Flat,  561. 

Flying,  572. 

Star,  581. 
Fishing  Frog,  556. 
Fishing  Hawk.     See  Osprey. 
Fissurellidse,  601. 
Flamingo,  467. 
Flea,  651. 

Water,  650. 
Flounder,  564. 

Fly,  Blister,  or  Spanish,  619. 
Bot,  652. 
Breeze,  652. 


Fly,  Caddis,  631. 
Dragon,  628. 
Great  Crane,  651. 
Humble  Bee,  653. 
May,  630. 
Fly-catcher,  Pied,  378. 

Spotted,  376. 
Flying  Dragon,  501. 
Fish,  572. 
Fox,  48. 
Mouse,  137. 
Squids,  593. 
Squirrel,  189. 
Foraminifera,  682. 
Fowl,  Domestic,  437. 
Fox,  91. 

Arctic,  94. 
Foxhound,  82. 
Frigate  Bird,  485. 
Frog,  518. 

Green,  520. 
Pouched,  523. 
Tree,  522. 
Frog-hopper,  649. 

Gadfly,  652. 
Gallinfe,  430. 
Gallinula,  466. 
Gallinulin^,  466. 
Gannet,  483. 
Gasteropoda,  602. 
Gazelle,  207. 
Gecko,  498. 

Ringed,  498. 
Geissosaura,  496. 
Gemsbok,  209. 
Genett,  Blotched,  72, 
Geometridse,  646. 
Gerboa,  185. 
Gibbon,  Agile,  Id 
Gibbons,  15. 
Giraffe,  222. 
Glow-worm,  618. 
Gnoo,  213. 
Goat,  218. 

Cashmir,  219. 
Goat-sucker,  314. 
Goby,  555. 
Golden  Oriole,  375. 
Goldfinch,  398. 
Go-ld-fish,  577. 
Goose,  Bernicle.  468. 

Mussel,  662. 

Solan,  483. 
Gorilla,  10. 
Goshawk,  303. 
Grantia  Compressa.  589. 
Grebe,  Crested,  475. 

Little,  474. 
Greenfinch,  398. 
Greyhound,  76. 
Grivet,  21. 
Grosbeak,  395. 


INDEX. 


689 


Grouse,  Black,  443, 
Guanaco,  239. 
Gudgeon,  578. 
Guillemot,  478. 
Guinea-fowl,  438. 
Guinea-pig,  182. 
Gull,  Black- backed,  481, 
Gurnard,  Flying,  548. 
Red,  548. 

Hackee,  or  Ground  Squirrel,  192. 

Hag-fish,  Glutinous,  585. 

Hammatocerus,  651. 

Hamster,  170. 

Hare,  182. 

Harp-shell,  Imperial,  597. 

Hawfinch,  396. 

Hedgehog,  131. 

Hedge  Sparrow,  362, 

Helicidse,  602. 

Helix,  602. 

Hen  Harrier,  306. 

Hermit  Crab,  657. 

Heron,  454. 

Herring,  669,  570. 

Heterocera,  639. 

Heteroptera,  650. 

Hippopotamus,  265. 

Hobby,  298. 

Hog,  Bush,  259. 

Domestic,  257. 
Homo,  7. 
Homoptera,  648. 
Honey-Eaters,  339. 
Hoopoe,  336. 
Hopper,  Scarlet,  649. 
Hoppers,  648. 
Hornbill,  Rhinoceros,  t08. 
Horn  wrack,  611, 
Horse,  240. 

Arab,  241. 
Race,  242. 
River,  265. 
Sea,  581. 
Hound,  Blood,  80. 
Fox,  82. 
Grey,  76, 
Howler,  Ursine,  33. 
Humble-bee  Fly,  653. 
Humming-bird,  Bar-tailed,  343. 

Copper-bellied  Puff-leg, 

Cora,  343. 

Double- created,  343. 

Gould's,  343. 

Ruby  and  Topaz,  346. 

Ruby-throated,  347. 

Slender  Shear-tail,  .343. 

Spangled  Coquette,  346 

Vervain,  347. 

White- booted     Racket- 
343. 
Hunting  Cat.     See  Chetah. 
Hyaena,  68, 
58* 


344. 


tail, 


Hyalea,  604. 
Hydroida,  680. 
Hydrometra,  650. 
Hydrometridee,  650. 
Hylas  Moth,  642. 
Hymenoptera,  632. 
Hyponomeutidne,  647, 
Hyrax,  African,  265. 
Syrian,  265. 

Ibex,  217. 
Ibis,  Glossy,  460, 
Sacred,  460, 
Ichneumon,  73. 

Giant,  633. 

Indian,  75, 
Ichneumon-fly,  633. 
Ichneumonidae,  633. 
Iguana,  500. 

Imperial  Harp-shell,  595, 
Indri.     See  Avahi. 
Insecta,  612. 
Insectivora,  122. 
Invertebrata,  589. 

Jacana,  465, 
Jackal,  88. 

Jackass,  Laughing,  329. 
Jackdaw,  386. 
Jaguar,  57. 
Jay,  381. 
Jellv  Fishes,  677. 
Jer-Falcon,  296. 
John  Dory,  553. 
Jungle  Fowl,  Austrian,  431. 
Bankiva,  437. 

Kahau,  18. 

Kanchil,  or  Pigmy  Musk  I)eer,  235. 

Kangaroo,  141. 

Rat,  143. 
Kestrel,  301. 
Kiang,  247. 
Kingfisher,  .329,  330. 
Kinkajou,  121. 
Kite,  293. 

Swallow-tailed,  295. 
Klip  Das,  265. 
Koala,  140. 
Koodoo,  214. 

Kookaam.     See  Gemsbok. 
Koulan.     See  Dzigcf.tai. 
Kuda-Ayer.     See  Tapir,  Malayan. 
Kukang,  41. 

Lac  Tnsfct,  649. 
Ladybirds,  621. 
Lamantine,  165. 
Lanimcrgeyer,  279. 
Lampern,  584. 
Lami)rey,  582,  583. 
Lancelet,  585. 
Landrail,  379, 


2T 


690 


INDEX. 


Lanidae,  379. 

Laninae,  379. 

Lapwing,  451. 

Lark,  Sky,  404. 

Laughing  Jackass,  329. 

Leadbeater's  Cockatoo,  417. 

Leaf  Insect,  625. 

Leech,  670. 

Lemming,  172. 

Lemur,  Flying,  44. 

RuflFed,  40. 
Lemurs,  39. 
Leopard,  54. 

Hunting,  54. 
Lepidoptera,  638. 
Libellulidje,  628. 
Limacida?,  603. 
Limngea,  603. 
Limpets,  601. 
Linnet,  399. 
Lion,  50. 

Ant,  630. 
Litorinidae,  600. 
Little  Chain,  609. 
Lizard,  Sand,  495. 

Scaly,  494. 

Tree,  502. 
Llama,  238. 
Lobster,  658. 
Locust,  Migratory,  624. 
Long-nosed  Bandicoot,  145. 
Loris,  Slender,  40. 

Slow-paced,  41. 
Lynx,  63. 

Canada,  64. 
Lyre-bird,  350. 

Macaques,  22. 

Macaque,  JBlack,  24. 

Macaw,  Blue-and-Yellow,  412. 

Mackerel,  549,  550. 

Macropidao,  136. 

Magilus,  597. 

Magot,  23. 

Magpie,  388. 

Maiadae,  654. 

Mallard,  472. 

Maltese  Dog,  79. 

Mammalia,  9. 

Man,  7. 

Manatee,  165. 

Mandrill,  26. 

Manis,  267. 

Mapach.     See  Racoon. 

Marikina,  36. 

Marimonda,  30. 

Marmoset,  37. 

Marmot,  195. 

Marsupialia,  136. 

Marten,  Pine,  96. 

Martin,  Fairy,  322. 

House,  324. 

Sand,  323. 


Mastiff,  86. 

Mat,  Sea,  610. 

May-fly,  630. 

Meadow  Pipit,  368, 

Meantia,  526. 

Medusae,  677. 

Menipea  Fuguensis,  610. 

Menura.     See  Lyre-Bird. 

Merlin,  299. 

Mexican  Lapdog,  80. 

Miller's  Thumb,  547. 

Mink,  101. 

Minnow,  580. 

Mocking  Bird,  371. 

Mole,  122. 

Rat,  196. 
MoUusca,  589. 
Molluscs,  Shore,  600. 
Monkey,  Avahi,  42. 

Aye-Aye,  43. 

Black  Macaque,  24, 

Black  Yarke,  35. 

Capucin,  34. 

Chacma,  25, 

Coaiti,  29. 

Calugo,  44, 

Douroucouli,  35. 

Entellus,  18, 

Green,  22, 

Grivet,  21, 

Kukang,  41. 

Magot,  23, 

Mandrill,  26, 

Marikina,  36, 

Marimonda,  30. 

Papion,  28, 

Proboscis,  18. 

Ruflfed  Lemur,  40. 

Slender  Loris,  40. 

Spider,  29. 

Tarsier,  42. 

Ursine  Colobus,  20. 

Ursine  Howler,  33. 

Vervet,  22, 

"Wanderoo,  23. 

White-nose,  20, 
Moongus,  74, 

Moor  Hen.     See  Water  Hen. 
Moose,  or  Elk,  226, 
Moschine  Deer,  234, 
Moth,  Clear-wing,  643. 
Death's-head,  641, 
Goat,  643. 
House-builder,  646. 
Humming-bird,  642. 
Hylas,  642, 
Lime  Hawk,  640, 
Lunar  Hornet  Clear-wing,  643. 
Swallow-tailed,  647. 
Tiger,  645. 
White-plume,  647, 
Wood  Leopard,  644. 
Mouse,  168. 


INDEX. 


691 


Mouse,  Flying,  137. 

Harvest,  169. 

Short-tailed  Field,  172. 

Yellow-footed  Pouched,  147. 
Mullingong,  272. 
Murex,  595. 
Muricidge.  595. 
Musk  Deer,  2;U. 
Ox,  206. 

Rat.     See  SoxnELi. 
Musquash,  or  Musk  Rat,  176. 
Mussel,  Edib.e,  607. 
Mustela,  96. 
Myriapoda,  668. 
Myrmecobius,  147 
Myxine,  585. 

Nauica,  121. 
Narwhal,  162. 
Natterjack,  522. 
Nautilus,  Paper,  590. 

the  Chambered,  594. 
Necrophaga,  616. 
Nennook.     See  Polar  Bear. 
Nepidte,  650. 
Neptune's  Cup,  683. 
Neritinse,  5.99. 
Neritina,  Spined,  599. 
Neuroptera,  626. 
Newfoundland  Dog,  76. 
Newt,  524. 

Crested,  524-526. 
Nightingale,  357. 
Nudibranchidae,  604. 
Nurek  Vison.      See  Mink. 
Nuthatch,  349. 
Nut  Weevil,  620. 
Nyctisaura,  498. 
Nylghau,  216. 
Nymphalidas,  639. 

Ocelot,  59. 
Octopodidae,  592. 
Octopus,  592. 
Oculinidee,  679. 
OcypodidjB,  656. 
(Estridse,  652. 
Oil  Beetle,  619. 
Ommastrephes,  593. 
Ondatra.     See  Musquash. 
Ophidia,  504. 
Opossum,  148. 

Merian's,  149. 

Mouse,  137. 

Virginian,  148. 
Orang-Outan,  13. 
Orchestidas,  660. 
Oreosoma,  545. 
Oriole,  Golden,  375. 
Orthoptera,  622. 
Ortolan,  403. 
Oryx,  210. 
Osprey,  289. 


Ostrich,  445. 
Otter,  110. 

Chinese,  111. 
Ouistiti.     See  Marmoset. 
Ounce,  56. 
Ousel,  Water,  369. 
Owl,  Barn,  312. 

Brown  or  Tawny,  311. 

Coquimbo,  or  15  n\uwing,  309. 

Scops  Eared,  31  J. 

Snowy,  308. 

Virginian  eared,  310. 
Ox,  198. 

Grunting.  206. 

Musk,  206. 
Oyster,  605. 

Pearl,  606. 

Pachydermata,  248. 

Pachyglossae,  498. 

Paco.     See  Alpaca. 

Palajornis,  410. 

Paper  Nautilus,  590, 

Pajtilionidte,  639. 

Papion,  28. 

Paradise,  Emerald  Bird  of,  390. 

Parinte,  363. 

Parrakeet,  Ringed,  410. 

Zebra,  or  Warbling  Grass,  41] 
Parrot,  Carolina,  413. 
Gray,  413. 
Green,  415. 
Partridge,  439. 
Pavonid*,  432,  433. 
Peacock,  432. 

Butterfly,  639, 
Peccary,  260. 
Pedieulati,  557. 
Peewit,  451. 
Pelecanidge,  484. 
Pelecaninae,  484. 
Pelecanus,  484. 
Pelican,  White,  484. 
Penguin,  Cape.  478. 
Pen-tail,  131. 
Perch,  542, 

Climbing,  559. 

Crappie,  543. 

Yellow-barred,  543. 
Perdicinae.  439. 
Perdix,  439. 
Peregrine  Falcon,  297. 
Periwinkle.  600. 
Petaurus.  Ariel,  138. 
Petrel,  Fulmer,  481. 

Stormy,  479. 
Phalangistines,  137. 
Phasianidae,  434. 
Phasianinac,  434. 
Phasianus,  434. 
Phatagin,  267. 
Pheasant.  'r-.6. 

Argus,  435. 


692 


INDEX. 


Pheasant-shells,  6r0. 

Shell,  Australian,  001. 
Philanthus  trianguluni,  6o4. 
Phocidfc,  151. 
Pholades,  608. 
Pholas.  608. 

Physaiis.    See  Portuguese  Man-op-War. 
Picidae.  418. 
Picin*,  418. 
Pieridai,  6;^9. 
Piddock,  608. 
Pigeon,  Band-tailed,  425. 

Blue  Rock,  428. 

Crowned,  429. 

Domestic,  428. 

Passenger,  425. 

Wood,  427. 
Pigmy  Petaurist.     See  Opossum  Mouse. 
Pike,  57;». 
Pilchard,  571. 
Pinnated  Grouse,  443. 
Plaice,  563. 

Platypus.     See  Mullingong. 
Pleuronectid*,  561. 
Podophthalmata,  653. 
Poe  Bird,  339. 
Pointer,  82. 
Polecat,  99. 
Polyzoa,  609. 
Pomeranian  Fox  Dog,  78. 
Poodle,  79. 
Porcupine,  177. 

Canadian,  179. 
Porifera,  682. 
Porpoise,  163. 

Portuguese  Man-of-War,  675. 
Potto.     See  KiNKAJOU. 
Poyou.     See  Armadillo. 
Prairie  Dog,  193. 
Prawn,  660. 
Proboscis  Monkey,  18. 
Proteus,  526,  527. 
Psyllidai,  649. 
Pteropoda,  604. 
Putf  Adder,  508. 
Puffin,  476. 
Puma,  57. 
Pyrrhulinae,  405. 

QUADRUMANA,  9. 

Quagga,  247. 

Quail,  440. 

Quata.     See  Coaita. 

Rabbit,  183. 

Rock,  265. 
Racehorse,  242. 
Racoon,  118. 
Radiata,  671. 
Rat,  167. 

Bay  Bamboo,  187. 

Brown,  167. 

Coast,  197. 


Rat,  Kangaroo,  143. 

Mole,  196. 

Musk,  176. 

Water,  171. 
Ratel,  Honey,  105. 
Rattle-snake,  506. 
Raven,  383. 

Razor-shell,  Common,  607. 
Redbreast,  301. 
Red  Deer,  230. 
Redstart,  359. 
Reduviidge,  650. 
Rcduvius  personatus,  651. 
Reindeer,  228. 
Reptilia,  487. 
Rhea,  447. 

Rhinoceros  Hornbill,  408. 
Rhinoceros,  Indian,  262. 

Little  Black,  263. 
Two-horned,  264. 
White,  264. 
Rhinophryne,  523. 
Rhizopoda,  681. 
Rhopalocera,  639. 
Ring-dove.  427. 
Ritck.     See  Syrian  Bear. 
Roach,  579. 
Rock-fish,  555. 
Rock-scorpion,  667. 
Rodents,  166. 
Roebuck,  233. 
Rollers,  326. 

'    Garrulous,  326. 
Rook,  385. 
Rotifera,  680,  681. 
Roussette.     See  Flying  Fox. 
Rove  Beetle,  615. 
Ruff,  462. 

Ruffed  Grouse,  444. 
Rufi'ed  Lemur,  40. 

Sable,  98. 

Saki,  Black-headed.    See  Cacajou. 

White-headed.     See  Black  Yarke. 
Salam^inder,  524. 
Salicornaria  farciminoides,  610. 
Sallee  Man,  675. 
Salmon,  574,  575. 
Sandhopper,  660. 
Sand  Martin,  323. 
Sand  Mole,  197. 
Sand  Wasps,  634. 
Satin  Bower  Bird,  391. 
Saw-fish,  537. 
Saw-flies,  632. 
Scallop,  605. 
Scansores,  407. 
Scarlet  Admiral,  640. 
Scarlet-hopper,  649. 
Scolopendra,  608. 
Scomberidai,  549. 
Scorpion,  Rock,  667. 
Water,  650. 


INDEX. 


693 


Sea  Anemone,  678. 

Hog.     See  Porpoise. 

Horse,  681. 

Mat,  610. 

Nettles,  583. 

Snails,  599. 

Unicorn.     See  Narwhal. 

Urchins,  672. 

Wolf,  558. 
Seal,  151. 

Elephant,  155. 
Secretary  Bird,  305. 
Sepia,  Common,  591. 
Webbed,  591. 
Sepiola,  593. 
Serpents,  Tree,  514. 
Serpula  contortuplicata,  669. 
Sertulariadfe,  680. 
Sessile-eved  Crustacea,  660. 
Shark,  White,  536. 

Hammer-headed,  536. 
Sheep,  219.    ' 

Spanish  or  Merino,  220. 
Sheep-dog,  83. 
Shetland  Pony,  245. 
Ship-worm,  608. 
Shore  Molluscs,  600. 
Shrew  Elephant,  130. 
Water,  127. 
Oared,  128. 
Shrew  Mouse,  126. 
Shrike,  Red-backed,  380. 
Shrimp,  659. 
Simpai,  17. 
Sirenia,  165. 
Siskin,  400. 
Skate,  Common,  540. 

Thornback,  539. 
Skinks,  496. 
Skunk,  107. 
Skylark,  404. 
Slender  Loris,  40. 
Slobbers.     See  Jelly-fishes. 
Sloth,  274. 

Slow-paced  Loris,  41. 
Slowworm,  496. 
Slug,  Great  Gray,  603. 
Snail,  Common,  602. 
Edible,  602. 
Water  or  Pond,  603. 
Snake,  Rattle,  506. 
Ringed,  513. 
Snipe,  463. 
Snowy  Owl,  308. 
Solan  Goose,  483. 
Soldier  Crab,  657. 
Sole,  561. 
Solenidae,  607. 
Solitary  Wasps,  635. 
Sontleli,  126. 
Spangled  Coquette,  346. 
Spaniel,  Field,  78. 
Water,  80. 


Sparrow,  401. 

hawk,  304. 
hedge,  362. 
Sphingidie,  640. 
Spider,  Crab,  654. 
Spider  Crabs,  654. 

Garden  or  Cross,  667. 
Trap-door,  664. 
Water,  664. 
Spined  Neritina,  599. 
Sponges,  682,  683. 
Spoonbill,  457. 
Spotted  Hyaena,  70. 
Springbok,  208. 
Squid,  Little,  593. 
Squinado,  654. 
Squirrel,  188. 

English,  190. 
Flying,  188. 
Ground,  192. 
Jelerang,  or  Javan,  189. 
Stag  Beetle,  617. 
Staphvlinidae,  615. 
Star- fishes,  673,  674 
Starling,  392. 
Starlings,  391. 
Steinbok,  217. 
Stickleback,  641. 
Stoat,  104. 
Stock-dove,  426. 
Stork,  458. 
Striped  Hygena,  69. 
Strobilosaura,  499. 
Sturgeon,  533. 
Sucking-fish,  552. 
Sun-Bears,  116. 

Bird,  Collared,  337. 
Birds,  337. 

Javanese,  338. 
Fish,  580. 

American,  681. 
Swallow,  Common,  320. 
■       Esculent,  319. 
Sea,  481. 

Tailed  Butterfly,  638. 
Tailed  Kite,  295. 
Swan,  469. 

Black,  470. 
Whistling,  469. 
Swift,  317. 
Swine,  257. 

Fish,  558. 
Sword-fish,  554. 
Syrian  Bear,  115. 

Tabanid^,  652. 

Tadpoles,  519. 

Taguan,  188. 

Tailor-bird,  354. 

Tajacu,  260. 

Talpidse,  122. 

Talpina,  122. 

Tamanoir,  or  Ant-Bear,  270. 


694 


INDEX. 


Tapir,  256. 

American,  256. 
Malayan,  256. 
Tapirus,  256. 
Tarsier,  42. 
Teal,  472. 
Teledu,  107. 
Tench,  578. 
Tenthidae,  592. 
Tenthredinidse,  632. 
Termes,  Bellicosus,  626. 
Termites,  626 
Tern,  Common,  481. 
Terebrantia,  6.S3. 
Terrapins,  490. 
Terrier,  English,  87. 

Skye,  87. 
Tetrabranchiata,  593. 
Thrush,  Missel,  372. 

Song,  374. 
Thysanoptera,  626. 
Tiger,  52. 

Wolf,  70. 
Tiger  Moth,  645. 
Beetle,  613. 

Eight-spot,  614. 
Tipulidae,  651. 
Titmice,  363. 
Titmouse,  Blue,  365. 
Great,  363. 
Long-tailed,  365. 
Toad,  520. 
Tody,  Green,  327. 
Top,  Common,  601. 
Torpedo,  538. 
Tortoise,  Land,  490. 

Chicken,  491. 
Tota.     See  Grivet. 
Toucan,  Toco,  409. 
Trap-door  Spider,  573. 
Tree  Serpents,  514. 
Trichoptera,  631. 
Triglidae,  547. 
Trochilidse,  340. 
Trochilus,  340. 
Trogonidfc,  327. 
Trogon,  Resplendent,  328. 
Tropic  Bird,  482. 
.Trout,  576. 

Trumpeter,  Golden-breasted,  452. 
Tunny,  551. 
Turbot,  562. 
Turkey,  437. 

Brush,  432. 

Buzzard.    See  Vulture,  Carrion. 
Turritcllida?,  599. 
Turtle,  Hawksbill,  491. 

Green,  492. 
Turtle-dove,  428. 

Univalves,  594. 
Upupa,  336. 
Upupidae,  335. 


Urchin.     See  Hedgehog. 

Urchins,  Sea,  672. 

Ursine  Baboon.     See  Chacma. 

Colobus,  20. 

Howler,  33. 
Urson.     See  Porcupine,  Canadian. 

Vampire  Bat,  46. 
Venus's  Comb,  596. 

Girdle,  676. 
Vertebrata,  7. 
Vervet,  22. 
Vespidae,  635. 
Vicugna,  238. 
Viper,  508. 

Horned,  508. 
Viperidae,  508. 
Viperina,  508. 
Vulpes,  92. 

Vulpine  Phalangist,  138. 
Vulture,  Alpine  or  Egyptian,  286. 

Arabian,  286. 

Bearded,  279. 

Carrion,  285. 

Fulvous  or  Griffin,  283. 

King,  281. 

Wagtail,  Pied,  367. 
Walking  Fish,  557. 
Walrus,  or  Morse,  153, 
Wanderoo,  23. 
Warbler,  Blackcap,  357. 
Warblers,  354. 
Wasp,  635. 
Wasps,  Sand,  634. 

Solitary,  635. 
Wood,  634. 
Water  Hen,  466. 

Ousel,  369. 

Shrew,  127.' 

Spaniel,  80. 

Spiders,  664. 

Vole,  or  Rat,  171. 
Weasel,  Common,  102. 
Weasels  96. 

Weaver  Bird,  Sociable,  394,  395. 
Weevil,  620. 
Wentletrap,  Staircase  or  Precious,  599. 

Common  or  False,  600. 
Whale,  156. 

Greenland,  157. 

Spermaceti,  159. 
Whaup.     See  Curlew. 
Wheatear,  359. 
Wheel  Animalcules,  680,  681. 
Whelk,  596. 
Whip-poor-will,  310. 
White  Bear.     See  Polar  Bear. 
White-headed  Saki.     See  Black  Yarke. 
White-nose  Monkey,  20. 
Widgeon,  470. 
Wild  Cat,  62. 
Wish-ton-wish.     See  Prairie  Dog. 


INDEX. 


695 


Wolf,  90. 
Wolverene,  106. 
Wolves,  89. 
Wombat,  143. 
Woodcock,  464. 

Thorny,  595. 
Woodlouse,  661. 

Armadillo,  661. 
Pill,  661. 
Woodpecker,  Dovvnv,  420. 

Great  Black,  424. 

Great  Spotted,  419. 

Green,  422. 

Lesser  Spotted,  422. 

Lewis's,  419. 

Northern  Three-toed,  422. 

Red-bellied,  421. 
Wood  Pigeon,  427. 
Wood  Wasps,  6;U. 
Worm,  Ship,  608. 


Wren,  .353. 

Fire-crested,  356. 

Golden-crested,  355. 
Wrens,  350. 
Wryneck,  422. 


Yak,  206. 

Yamraa.     See  Llama. 

Yarke,  Black,  35. 

Yellow-footed  Pouched  Mouse,  147 

Yellow  Hammer,  402,  403. 

Youze.     See  Chetah. 

Zebra,  247. 

Parrakeet,  411. 
Zebu,  200. 

Zerda.     See  Fennec. 
Zoophytes,  677. 

Bell,  587. 


THK    END. 


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